Practice with the core continues to show considerable improvement every day. My APM is starting to surpass my old APM now. And my e-apm is much better, staying close to my standard APM.
I've notices that memorizing all of my base cameras and unit group hotkeys has not "stuck" yet and my APM is hampered by trying to remember. So I've begun training with the python HotKeyTrainer.
Some setup is involved to ensure that your hokey names match up with how you want it laid out. I'm, using most of the recommended hotkey layout from the alpha guide but I have changed up the ranged and melee to keep them closer together. It is quite configurable so I set it to the "nothing but cams and hotkeys mode". It is a fun mechanic to try to sit there and get as high of a score as possible. I enjoyed that part of the feedback loop. After that gets too easy, you can lower the time limit until you reach a pace that you are comfortable with.
I'll be making this a daily part of my training until I'm completely certain that I have the entire hotkey setup in memory, both didactic and muscle.
I feel like I'm getting close to a point where I can start trying out unranked matches which is not bad for only 6 days work. I'm a thousand times more trained now to properly use my camera and unit hotkeys.
For the first time in Starcraft, I feel like I'm actually controlling the army the way it was meant to be controlled.
Thanks for reading!