Challenge Checkin: Crochet with Arthritis, Morse Code by Ear
On this episode of Moving Towards Better, Chris Penick talks about learning to crochet while living with arthritis, and Chris Minnick explains how he's learning Morse code by sound.
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The MTB Skills Challenge
Talking about learning is easy. Each month we pick a new skill for each other, practice it, and report back on the show, including the attempts that didn't go to plan (see: the basketball spin).
The rules
- Something newIt has to be a skill the other person doesn't already know.
- Off the screenIt must exist outside a computer. No new apps or programming languages.
- Month-sizedSmall enough that you can make visible progress in about a month.
- Cheap to startNot expensive to get started. If it needs a boat, it's out.
- SurvivableNot potentially life-threatening.
- LegalNot obviously illegal.
- One vetoYou can refuse the first pick, but then you have to take the backup.
Join in
Pick a skill using the same rules, give it a month, and tell us what happened. We may share the best stories on the show.
Got a skill for us?
Suggest something one of the Chrises should try next month. The weirder (and cheaper) the better.
Challenge episodes
Should Learners Use AI Tutors Every Day?
We kick off a new AI debate series by tackling a question every modern learner is wrestling with: should AI tutors be part of your daily practice? Our debaters make the case for AI as a structured-practice and interview-prep powerhouse, and the case against it as a replacement for human guidance. Along the way we stress-test edge cases — flashcards, cheating, and what AI uniquely adds — before landing on a middle ground: narrow AI support with human oversight. Plus skill-learning updates, a Morse code listener challenge, and a peek at upcoming debates.
MTB Challenge Round Two
We're back with a follow-up to our first Moving Towards Better skill challenges. It turns out most of round one didn't go to plan. We recap what happened, reveal the basketball spin attempt and anime drawings attempts, and dig into why habits, systems, and support might matter more than raw talent when it comes to getting good at anything. Along the way we get into the limits of productivity advice, the case for progress over perfection, and what actually counts as a win. Then we kick off round two with new challenges!