Are Mathematicians Insomniacs?

Are mathematicians insomniacs? Well, if we say that is true, and I'm a mathematician, then I must be an insomniac. But then that means that I just IMAGINE that I konk out within minutes of my head hitting the pillow. So then does that mean I'm not a mathematician? Or does it mean mathematicians have potential to become insomniacs? Grrr...I always hated these kind of logic questions. There's no POINT to them.

Hmm...(to quote one of my previous math professors). I started this entry about a month ago...but never actually finished it until now. But on to tonight's program--"ACTION!"

My roommate, who shall remain anonymous, shares the most interesting math details with me. First I would like to share the most AMAZING website EVER!!!! It answers math problems, plots graphs (including 3D), is a search engine, and is a much nicer name search than urban dictionary (*grumble* stupid urbandictionary.com and its disturbing entries). Anyways...I introduce to you *trumpet blows* WOLFRAMALPHA.COM!!!!!

Okay, that looks kinda weird in all caps. http://www.wolframalpha.com/ That's better. Go ahead. Explore. Ask questions. Enter an equation and have it be solved. Enter your birthdate and see what happened on the day of your birth. Enter your name and see how popular it is. Go ahead, I dare you. Hey, are you still reading this?

Sorry, lame attempt to quote Brian Regan. I digress.

Something else my roommate shared with me: a female mathematician by the name of Hypatia. http://www.coachlightpress.com/bygone/hypatia.shtml (the most interesting story is found in the sixth to last paragraph).

Happy belated Pi Day! I've been too busy this semester to properly write a post for the blog virtually no one reads. But I'm still here. Mainly so I can claim that I have a blog...no matter how unpopular it is. (Who cares about popularity? What else does one need besides math? This is, of course, disregarding all essential things to live, i.e. food, clothes, shelter...the Maslow Hierarchy of needs must be satisfied.)

This semester, I have learned loads about abstract algebra, numerical analysis, and a small understanding of the theory of probability and statistics (where you prove stats by using calculus...makes for very time consuming homework). I just wish I could remember what I learned. Maybe then I wouldn't fear the finals that are coming up so soon. (Three weeks?! *dies*)

On another note, it's really hard to find an internship for an applied math degree. So far, I'm looking at actuarial jobs just because I have virtually no idea what the job is (and therefore intrigues me) and because I have no idea what else to look for in a math specific job. I may very well do a senior project...and thus die from research and lack of money, since I'll have spent it all during a summer of unemployment. I spit on the economy for being sucky while I have to pay for college. *spit* Ewww...I'm not cleaning that up.

And that reminds me of something I heard in my philosophy of education class (cuz apparently I enjoy mind-numbing pointless work for a class that has virtually no use for me in the future...unless I do actually work for a public school since the country will become so desperate for math and science teachers, and thus the school will pay for my teaching certificate, and tell me what I can and can't do according to the state laws, and blah blah blah...).

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.
These are the things I learned:

• Share everything.
• Play fair.
• Don't hit people.
• Put things back where you found them.
• Clean up your own mess.
• Don't take things that aren't yours.
• Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
• Wash your hands before you eat.
• Flush.
• Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
• Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
• Take a nap every afternoon.
• When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
• Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
• Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
• And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

http://www.peace.ca/kindergarten.htm

I leave you with this haphazard entry, and wishing you all a happy March (soon-to-be-April), go do math-related things! (This includes taxes, balancing checkbooks, math homework-any homework for that matter-, counting the number of ceiling tiles and always losing count in the 60s or 70s because someone keeps interrupting your personal time to bond with the ceiling tiles-I told you...give me five more minutes, and THEN I can answer all of life's questions...except the questions about life itself...you'll have to see a shrink for that one.)