Left + Right: Battles of the Brain

Good day, and welcome to the second installment of the Ciccarone Chronicle!

I encourage you to interact by striking up a conversation and letting me know which side of the brain that you use the most.

Let's dig deep into one aspect of the eternal internal war in this article which we'll call "Left + Right: Battles of the Brain".

And hey, if you're not already subscribed to this newsletter: https://www.dhirubhai.net/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7225158589466787841 - it's free and I promise to keep it mostly interesting.

Braaaains ??

As most of us already know, the right hemisphere of the brain is associated with creative thinking, whilst the left hemisphere is linked to analytical thinking.

Is that how you use whilst?

In my opinion, with or without the inclusion of soul and/or consciousness, the brain is by far the most interesting part of the human body. Did you know that the brain takes up 20% of the body’s energy, despite only taking up 3% of the human body?

3% is just an estimate, it depends on the person of course

It's the most energy-intensive organ and just like fingerprints, every individual has a unique brain print.

Don't even get me started on alpha waves, beta waves, and delta waves! You might think I'm listening to chill hop on my headphones, but binary beats are where it's at.

Now, before I go any further and for full transparency, supposedly the left brain vs right brain argument has been debunked by neuroscientists and both hemispheres work together to complete tasks of analysis and creativity.

Just like Pluto is no longer a planet, amirite?

• Left Brain: As a web developer, we're all about the left side of the brain. We are analytical, most of us write and/or understand code. We are a logical and detail-oriented type that try to finish the sentences of right-brainers.
• Right Brain: As a musician (take that word with a grain of salt), we're all about the right side of the brain. We are a s?a?p?p?y? emotional and sometimes even complicated type of individual who trust feeling over fact.
• Unicorn: ??

Code + Music

I've always been a bit mentally ambidextrous, code + music. I've been telling people that code and music are closely related - and I half-heartedly still stand by this statement - but more and more, it's less and less.

Leaving out the unfortunately necessary process of recording and production, the only digital aspect of my composing is an iPad that I use to write lyrics and specifically placed associated chords. I get to rely on my heart rather than a Trello board task list.

With that said, I do however update and revise my songs much like I do my code. It's how I write in general, even this article. In fact, sometimes I o?p?t?i?m?i?z?e? revise my songs so much that they're practically unrecognizable to from inception to first public (a.k.a. for my wife) performance.

Hey want to hear me play piano? I haven't recorded vocals yet, it's called "The Keys"

Web Development + Design

It's rare, like Mr. Clean with hair. Coders don't usually design and designers don't usually code. Someone who is equally talented in code and design is a straight-up unicorn.

Even though I completed a one-year Web Design & Interactive Media certification (whoop-dee-doo, hold the applause), I have always considered myself a coder and never a designer.

FYI, this level of self-doubt with design is coming from someone who has known Photoshop backwards, forwards, inside, and out for well over a decade. As they say, "correlation does not imply causation."

But oh no, after working with one too many web designers who:

• just throw things together without thought of the development
• don't know/care what is & what isn't possible outside of the mockup
• and, have little to no file organization skills

I'm not talking ??, well I kind of am, but as they also say "if you want something done right.."

User Experience (UX) + User Interface (UI)

There are levels of talent and skill, I get that. But, we can all agree that there are lots of resources and tools at a motivated person's disposal, not to mention (or overuse) our new friend, GenAI.

YouTube premium is a lot less expensive than a college degree, hey now.

Over the last year, inconsistent with any previously spoken statements about how "I design like a 5-year old", I've taken considerable steps towards becoming that unicorn.

A unicorn who can design with UX in mind, and develop with UI in mind.

If you are in a similar boat, whether walking the bilateral tightrope between code and design or another codependent duo, let me know in the comments - because we all should probably be tackling ML and sales next! ??

And ultimately, if you take anything from this article it's this line that I'll repeat again, for you, for my kids, and for anyone who'll listen: YouTube premium is a lot less expensive than a college degree.