Autodidact

[Aytundra]

RRM,

How did you go about the library?
What was your strategy?

[RRM]

My motivation was interest.
I was looking for information about what happens on a molecular level when you cook food.
When you cook food, you can easily see that everything changes (colour, texture, odour), but what kind of interactions between molecules normally occur? And do those new molecules have any impact on our health?

My strategy was to read scientific articles and not going by the conclusions, but rather by the facts; collecting the names and origin of the new molecules that originate due to the influence of heat. Then i would use that new found name to enter in the search engine and find other articles mentioning that molecule, to find more info about it. That always leads to a whole bunch of related molecules that also require investigation.
So, once you start an investigation, there is a snowball effect that never stops, as there is an almost infinite volume of info available.

[Aytundra]

How long did you spend in the library?
How long did you spend with a book?
What does your notes look like? Do you type them? Write them? In pencil? In pen? In different coloured inks?

[RRM]

Im sorry it took so long; somehow i dont get notifications anymore when someone posts

How long did you spend in the library?

Many hours each day. As long as i could; back in the days, one had to reserve a computer, and use all kind of tricks to get more turns.
Once i had internet at home, i often forgot to eat and sleep; i kept on reading and reading and taking notes. I could go on for days without rest, because i was so exited to learn.

How long did you spend with a book?

I didnt read books. Only studies.
Only in the beginning i read books about biochemistry.
It usually took me a day or 2 to finish it.

What does your notes look like?

One fact (quote) - one study. 20 to 30 quotes per page.

Do you type them? Write them? In pencil? In pen?

I wrote them in pen. Blue. Just blue.
I had big stacks of papers.

[Aytundra]

back in the days, one had to reserve a computer, and use all kind of tricks to get more turns.
Once i had internet at home, i often forgot to eat and sleep; i kept on reading and reading and taking notes. I could go on for days without rest, because i was so exited to learn.

What were the tricks?

When you finally had the internet at home, is that what you would describe that you reached "flow state/ in the zone" like how Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls this a highly focused mental state conducive to productivity?

Did you reach it before at the library?

Or do you still have this kind of state available to you,... and even today?

What does your notes look like?

One fact (quote) - one study. 20 to 30 quotes per page.

Why 20 - 30? Or did it just happen to fit in 1 page?
How do you use the quotes? What were you trying to build or discover from it?
Did you use a highlighter, post it notes, or other methods to link all your thoughts together?

Do you type them? Write them? In pencil? In pen?

I wrote them in pen. Blue. Just blue.
I had big stacks of papers.

Why blue?
Was there a specific brand of pens you would use?
Were the paper lined or were they gridded, or were they plain? Were they 8 x 11 inches, or were they giant sized, legal sized, map sized?

[RRM]

back in the days, one had to reserve a computer, and use all kind of tricks to get more turns.
Once i had internet at home, i often forgot to eat and sleep; i kept on reading and reading and taking notes. I could go on for days without rest, because i was so exited to learn.

What were the tricks?

Ha ha, i even brought a bag with various jackets, sweaters and hats to the library so that the librarians wouldnt notice it was me again.
And i made reservations in various names, and asked friends to reserve.

When you finally had the internet at home, is that what you would describe that you reached "flow state/ in the zone" like how Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls this a highly focused mental state conducive to productivity?

I never heard of this Csikszentmihalyi, but it was definitely a flow.
Not eating actually helps you to stay in that flow. Just sugars and adrenalin.

Did you reach it before at the library?

Yes, because in the library i had to work super fast to get the most out of each session; scanning each article super fast, and scribbling short comments on paper.

Or do you still have this kind of state available to you,... and even today?

Oh yes, All i need is a question about an interesting subject and a computer.
Its just that i now readily get interrupted by one of my children

What does your notes look like?

One fact (quote) - one study. 20 to 30 quotes per page.

did it just happen to fit in 1 page?

Exactly

How do you use the quotes?

The quotes present themselves. It is a fact presented that is not an opinion, just a mere fact that may seem important.

What were you trying to build or discover from it?

I was collecting facts about what happens when you cook foods

Did you use a highlighter, post it notes, or other methods to link all your thoughts together?

No need for that because i never took more than one sentence from one study.
So, i either used that quote, or nor not.
I just compiled all related quotes in one article, without making sentences or a storyline.
Then after having collected sufficient quotes (usually between 50 and 200 quotes, the storyline became evident, and i just needed to connect the dots.

Do you type them? Write them? In pencil? In pen?

I wrote them in pen. Blue. Just blue.
I had big stacks of papers.

Why blue?

It is the standard in ballpoints; cheapest and most reliable.

Was there a specific brand of pens you would use?
Were the paper lined or were they gridded, or were they plain? Were they 8 x 11 inches, or were they giant sized, legal sized, map sized?

Blank/plain A4, so that i was not in any way restricted (by lines etc) and could add something in between the lines, such as article dates, page numbers etc