Wedding Planning

I don't want to clog my blog with wedding planning, but I do want to share it with you if you are interested, so I have created a wedding site.

http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/MonaChristensen&MarkMcCowen

You may RSVP online there, find information, and follow along on the planning if you like. I'm ordering my dress today, so it's starting to get exciting. I tried it on yesterday and it was an easy choice.

On a different note, I'm on administrative suspension from work because I accidentally let my certification expire, so I am temporarily doing a day schedule and have lots of free time. I could be off for 4 weeks. DJ's friend has agreed to take me to Utah for the family camp, so I will get a little vacation out of the deal.

My Wedding Rings

This is my ring. The brilliant sparkle makes it hard to capture the detail. It is around 100 years old and is a family heirloom. Mark gave it to me on our recent trip to Northern Arizona. We camped in the White Mountains, went to the Petrified Forest, walked Flagstaff, hopped rocks in Oak Creek, Sedona, and walked around Prescott, Jerome, and more. It was lovely.

Getting My Rings

Right before getting my engagement ring we were watching the sunset that is almost peeking out in this picture. We walked down to the lakeside, and Mark was standing behind me with his arm around me while we watched the colors. It was a beautiful moment and we compared it to our relationship... it just gets better and better. He turned me to face him and he was holding the ring at his heart. He couldn't remember what he had planned to say, but no words were necessary. I put it on and we bear hugged while I, of course, cried big happy tears. It is symbolic and ironic that we went straight from that moment to the Petrified Forest.

Scrapbooking

I'm out of school and enjoying the freetime. My sister got me interested in scrapbooking and the rest is history. I've been putting together the memories from our first Europe vacation to England and Wales. It's been a fun outlet for relaxing and troublesomely addictive.

The Moon and the Ants on Earth.

New out in theatres today is Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy. I can recommend the book; I plan to reread it during my Summer Leisure. I hope to catch the movie this weekend - I heard that it ends with "Six times nine is fourty-two." (Which is silly. Unless you're in base 13. Then it's just remarkably cool, since it was not on purpose, to the happy surprise of the author.)

Someone in NASA has a crack-smoking crazy plan to beam sunlight off of Mars through radio waves onto Earth to fill our energy deficit. (So, I guess radio waves wouldn't contribute to planetary warming? - I'm not a trekkie, so I'm not sure.)

Today on NPR - Talk of the Nation "Science Friday" the topic was:
"Appearances of and references to mathematics in popular culture have been used creatively and effectively in mathematics courses to reduce math anxiety and motivate students.With math sneaking in to primetime television, can we learn to love fractions and geometry, even calculus? We’ll also talk about the clash of cultures between mathematicians and TV writers behind-the-scenes. "

The program was interesting enough to recommend and will be archived for your listening pleasure sometime in the very near future on the Science Friday Homepage.

The most interesting was a certain desert ant which can zig-zag all over the place looking for food but once it is located, it can turn face home and walk exactly the distance required... if you move the ant it will turn the way home would have been and walk exactly the distance it should have been able to walk, get there and get confused. This is a very complex multivariable type of Trigonomotry called "dead reckoning" which, NASA supposedly used to retrieve the crew of a space mission that crashed - but I can't find anything supporting that.

Puzzling Handshake

A fun puzzle: [hint- try making a chart - this is geared for 5th graders so it's fun not hard.]

A group of people met at a party. Each person shook hands with everyone else only once. Mr. Li shook hands with 3 times as many men as women. Mrs. Li shook hands with 4 times as many men as women. How many men and women were there at the party?

I hate shaking hands. Especially because it is such a socially masculine thing. If a woman shakes strong, people think she envies men or wants to overpower men or some such nonsense. But if she shakes weak, people think -typical girlie-girl- the poor thing barely has the strength to grip. So no matter what, you are regenerating a stereotype everytime a woman shakes hands. What's a girl to do?

Tensioners

Question: What does an insomniac agnostic dyslectic do late at night?
Answer: Lie awake wondering about the existence of dog

So finals are next week. I’m trying to stay calm but if there’s anything I’ve learned in my statistics class, it’s that I can predict with 95% confidence that I should fail to reject my hypothosis that I’ll have to retake analytical calculus. Even my sense of humor right now is pretty geek-tastic.

I am trying to postpone concern over non-school related pressing matters until a week from Monday when it will all be over. I am also trying to work in my best scholastic effort without murdering anyone. One really can’t critically think on this level all day long everyday for sixteen weeks. It’s just not healthy. So after studying for 5-6 hours, I went to the gym today and cuddled with Mark on the couch watching a documentary on the history of video games. [It was actually really cool. I had totally forgotten about Conseco.]

Simpsons

I wondered today in class if "Simpson's Rule" has anything to do with the Simpsons, so I looked it up and I found these gems... (for more, go to simpsonsmath.com)

Lisa, armed with a measuring tape, helps Bart play miniature golf.
Lisa: The basis of this game seems to be simple geometry. All you have to do is hit the ball … here.
[The ball is hit, gets bounced around, and goes into the hole.]
Bart: I can’t believe it. You’ve actually found a practical use for geometry!


Stark Raving Dad
Michael Jackson: Homer, this is Floyd. He’s an idiot savant – give him any two numbers and he can multiply them in his head, just like that.
Homer: OK, 5 times 9!
Floyd: 45.
Homer: Wow


Homer is taking his physical exam at the nuclear power plant.
Scientist: This can't be right. This man has 104% body fat! [turns to Homer] Hey, no eating in the tank!
Homer: [eating a chicken drumstick] Go to hell.

Programming

This seems ironic. Mind control uses a process called programming.

... and so does TV.

This is creepy, too. It's from dictionary.com:

To train to perform automatically in a desired way, as if programming a machine: programmed the children to use perfect table manners.
To prepare an instructional sequence for (material to be taught) in programmed instruction. (I.E. School)

Surprises

I found out on the way home from school today that my friend Meraj had her baby girl two nights ago! Very early, so scary but exciting. It's her first.

As I finished my workout at the gym, the Sun Lakes Big Band was just finishing setting up for a special free event in the aerobics class room so I rolled up a exercise ball and watched until intermission... so cool. I was grinning from ear to ear! And I thought all the gym was good for was the equipment.

I Still Can't Believe It

My sister, brother and nephew are here. Ben is improving, but his situation really sucks. He's in for a lot and he still doesn't know he's lost his wife.

I have to go to court for the burglary, which means staying up for 30 hours straight before a test Wednesday.

Everything is chaotic.

I Can't Believe It

My mind is consummed with love and concern for Ben, a step-brother, who was in a car crash this week that killed his wife and left him hanging to life by a thread. His future is so delicate and full of painful transitions.

My house was broken into and sacked by a moron who broke everything he tried to steal because he was so high. He's in jail today. I had just spring cleaned the house, too.

On a lighter note, we went to Organ Stop Pizza - saw a fantastic show on the stage Wurlitzer Organ - pretty amazing.

My first attempts at running the hot/cold were thwarted. I tried to start out "something smells here, S - You should go looking for it." She replied, "My nose is stuffy and I can't smell a thing; I've been sick." Luckily Mark took over.

Now I feel a little sick so I'm going to bed while the boys go out to a movie.

One, Two, Test, and more Time Passes

I've realized that I mark time by the passage of exams. I took exam 2 of 3 in one of my classes today... which means a segue into the part of the term earmarked "final's prep." Of course, I'm estatic.

We celebrated Easter with Mark's family - wonderful. There is something innocent and beautiful about leading someone around for treasure with hot/cold. It is the tradition that transects all other traditions in their family - no holiday, birthday, or special occasion is complete without it.

Mark and I went for our first road trip in the new car over the weekend. We drove to Florence (asked ourselves why we went there, got a soda and turned around) and stopped off to hike a wildflower covered hill called "silly mtn." In one direction, no sign of man - just desert in bloom, and on the other, the cusp of the city peeking out of the underskirts of the highway.

The Scion Is In (the Carport)

So I picked up the Scion xB today. I am really excited. I realized that in my adult life, I have had a car that ran 18 months out of the 11 years. Now, we just have to get another one and we'll be farther than where we started when Mark's car died.

On another note, there should be some kind of cap on interest and lending profiteering. It's completely unethical and is a kind of preditory practice that strangles the poorer of us. I realize that 1/5 of my car cost is interest. This car will probably last 10 years MAX and in that time, 1/4 of my income will go to paying for it. So, five cents on every dollar I make will go toward the interest on this loan until it is paid off. That is almost $4 a day. I could sponsor a whole lot of orphans in developing countries just with my interest. How sad that I'm giving it to a multinational corporation's lending department instead.

Scion xB

This is the car we are going to buy tomorrow. Do you say Sky-on, Sigh-on, or Ski-on? They call it Euro styling and I call it the "milk truck."

Now that I can post pictures...

This is my boyfriend, Mark.

A New, New Car?

We're trying to figure out whether to finance a new car or a used car. Both have draw backs and both are undesired options because we like to save up before we buy something instead of paying more than an item is worth as a penalty. I also think it says you can't afford it if you can't save for it. The sad fact is, we decided to save for a new car 30 minutes before the old one died so suddenly. Too bad a car doesn't give much warning.

Buying a car is also a very annoying process. We keep waiting for the sales person to jump on the rental car as we drive away. Also, it is not a good idea to get a free sportscar upgrade on your rental car when you are shopping for a car because all those features and options are nice. You can actually see the moon through a moonroof facing any direction. No kidding.

Blowing a Gasket

The gasket blew on the old pathetic car. If we didn't carpool and rely heavily on it for everything it totally wouldn't be a big deal. I missed class today and we will have to rent a car tomorrow until we can figure something out. What a mess. What a crappy day.

You always get the results you look for.

• The light is always red when you are late for work.
  
• The media is always biased opposite your strongly held view.
  
• The radio only plays sad love songs after a break up.
  
• Everyone seems pregnant when you want and can't have kids.
  

These are coincidences that occur when the conditions of perception are present, but don't apply in general.

RULE OF MATH: Certain perceived conditions (assumptions) allow predictable coincidences. That is, you see what you're looking at. Your observations (coincidental though they may be) are not random because your perceptions (which are their conditions) are not random.

Example from above: The conditions are:

• You're late for work.

The resulting coincidence?

• Your awareness of red traffic lights is heightened, so it seems like you must stop at more than usual.

Example from math: The conditions are:

• real numbers exist (the numbers we use everyday)
• that they have order (i.e. ...1 <>

The resulting coincidence? You can use addition and multiplication and get the same predictable answers each time you ask the same question. So Tom will get the same answer to 2 + 3 as Jan does everytime.

But subtraction and division require more conditions... because of "special cases" such as not being able to divide by zero. So beyond the limits of the conditions, the coincidences do not occur. (i.e. you don't notice as many red lights when you are on a relaxing drive.)

We have to assume conditions. If you assume nothing, the world is chaos. It is pragmatic to assume things (in math) and our brains automatically do this (by biological design) in order to operate efficiently. However, when the framework of our very existence is fraught with assumptions that are limited but applied universally, mistakes are inevitable.

RULE OF MATH: Conditional coincidence is not ultimate truth.

So, acknowledge that by assuming your views, you will find what you are looking for because you are only looking where you can find it, not because your view is ultimate truth.

My Convertible

I'm a basically rational person. I've made some unreasonable choices. The most expensive was buying an Alfa Romeo thinking I could restore it with very little mechanical experience whatsoever. It's a beautiful waste of money and in the year I've been carpooling while it collects dust and money I fantasize about driving it, wind through my hair, sun in my eyes.

Maybe having a dream is better than having convenience.