So...no church today for me. As much as I don't really care for our church, I still do like to GO to church...but, this morning, I woke up with a miserable migraine. So...no church, and I slept till 2:30 PM, so that was nice.
And tomorrow is Labor Day, so no live school...I need to catch up a little bit on some school, but it's nice to have a day to just catch up...
Hmm...Gustav is doing some pretty sweet movements out in the Gulf...poor New Orleans. Maybe my dad and I'll go back down to Gulfport and help with cleanup stuff again like we did when Katrina went through..That'd be fun...except the only time we can go is during Christmas break, since I'm in college now...
okay, I just wanted to post again, but I don't really have anything important to say...not that I normally do, but I don't have anything FUN to say..there we go..
laters.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Sandy Chamber Orientational Birthdays.
Yahoo!! I made it into the Chamber Choir!! It really wasn't so bad, and the try-out song we had to sing I had memorized, so...
Next Friday is the Orientation Day for the New Orchestra Year. That's pretty exciting, even though it will bring a lot of changes.
Hmmm...I just realized I'm really tired, sweaty, and sandy. I just got back from playing Volleyball with my college Sunday School class...decent fun, but I'd much rather play frisbee, personally. Anyway, I think this post won't be too long, since I want to go take a shower, and go to bed at a decent hour. It won't happen, but at least I can wish it.
Oh, before I forget, Happy Birthday to one of my good friends, Haylee!! Have a wonderful day tomorrow!
mmm...I've really got nothing else to say, so I'm signing out...ciao.
Next Friday is the Orientation Day for the New Orchestra Year. That's pretty exciting, even though it will bring a lot of changes.
Hmmm...I just realized I'm really tired, sweaty, and sandy. I just got back from playing Volleyball with my college Sunday School class...decent fun, but I'd much rather play frisbee, personally. Anyway, I think this post won't be too long, since I want to go take a shower, and go to bed at a decent hour. It won't happen, but at least I can wish it.
Oh, before I forget, Happy Birthday to one of my good friends, Haylee!! Have a wonderful day tomorrow!
mmm...I've really got nothing else to say, so I'm signing out...ciao.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Pythagoreans are attacking with Dagmor!!!
Okay, so we won't dwell on my English class, because I pretty muchly don't like it or the teacher, to be honest. Instead...more trig!!!!
Prof: (in describing undefined cotangent terms) "So, the cotangent is out to lunch. That's the technical term for it."
Prof: (after getting sidetracked on a story) "My mind wandered off and rudely left the rest of me behind."
Prof: (while working problems in the text, and deciding to do more then the text asked for) "Let's be trigonometric over-acheievers!"
Prof: (in dismissing the class) "Have a trigonometrical weekend!"
It's funny. The prof gets to class either right on the dot of 10:00, when the class starts, or, like today, he comes in at 10:01. I wasn't exactly expecting a tardy teacher. But oh well. :p
So, today, we were learning about Pythagorean Identities (I won't write them out here, cause I don't want to seem too smart), and he's telling us about the "club" based around a fellow named Pythagoreus Assini (or something to that effect. I'll look it up later and tell you his real name). He was a Greek dude who lived back in the 400 B.C. time period. Real smart, had a bunch of followers. Basically, everybody in his club was very well versed in Music, Math, Science, and Religion. Not much is known about their religious beliefs. Their Science is equally sketchy. Their Music and Math, however, are still with us today.
Math, you know about. The whole Pythagorean Theorem that EVERYBODY learns forwards and backwards in highschool? a(squared) + b(squared) = c(squared). Yah, you know it. Well, that's based on a lot of Pythagoreus's work.
Now, Music. The Pythagoreans developed many of the mathematical functions for describing musical harmonics. Stretch a string tight, and pluck it. It vibrates at x hz. Now grab it exactly in the middle, and pluck either half. Now it vibrates at 2x hz. This is (musically speaking) an octave higher then the full length of the string.
Prof: "So, if y = C, then y/2 = the C an octave above. From C to shining C!!"
You can cut it into any integral fraction (preferably smaller numbers), and a mathematical function will describe it. Well, part of the reason why in one octave we have 12 possible notes (like on a piano), is related to the mathematical functions developed and described by the Pythagoreans.
Prof: "You know what I think of when I hear "Pythagoreans"? Villans on a really stupid Star Trek Episode. You know, like 'Captain, I've never seen anything like it! The Pythagoreans are attacking!'"
Okay, so there's my trig class today, in condensed form. Cliff's Notes, maybe. :p
Choir auditions are tomorrow!! I'm psyched!
Okay, so you know someone is a Lord of the Rings enthusiast when you can ask them "what is Dagmor", and they promptly respond "Beren's Sword"...now...can anyone tell me what "Dagmor" means? In Westernesse, or course.
Or when you ask who said "Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens", and they quickly respond "Gimli!!"
Prof: (in describing undefined cotangent terms) "So, the cotangent is out to lunch. That's the technical term for it."
Prof: (after getting sidetracked on a story) "My mind wandered off and rudely left the rest of me behind."
Prof: (while working problems in the text, and deciding to do more then the text asked for) "Let's be trigonometric over-acheievers!"
Prof: (in dismissing the class) "Have a trigonometrical weekend!"
It's funny. The prof gets to class either right on the dot of 10:00, when the class starts, or, like today, he comes in at 10:01. I wasn't exactly expecting a tardy teacher. But oh well. :p
So, today, we were learning about Pythagorean Identities (I won't write them out here, cause I don't want to seem too smart), and he's telling us about the "club" based around a fellow named Pythagoreus Assini (or something to that effect. I'll look it up later and tell you his real name). He was a Greek dude who lived back in the 400 B.C. time period. Real smart, had a bunch of followers. Basically, everybody in his club was very well versed in Music, Math, Science, and Religion. Not much is known about their religious beliefs. Their Science is equally sketchy. Their Music and Math, however, are still with us today.
Math, you know about. The whole Pythagorean Theorem that EVERYBODY learns forwards and backwards in highschool? a(squared) + b(squared) = c(squared). Yah, you know it. Well, that's based on a lot of Pythagoreus's work.
Now, Music. The Pythagoreans developed many of the mathematical functions for describing musical harmonics. Stretch a string tight, and pluck it. It vibrates at x hz. Now grab it exactly in the middle, and pluck either half. Now it vibrates at 2x hz. This is (musically speaking) an octave higher then the full length of the string.
Prof: "So, if y = C, then y/2 = the C an octave above. From C to shining C!!"
You can cut it into any integral fraction (preferably smaller numbers), and a mathematical function will describe it. Well, part of the reason why in one octave we have 12 possible notes (like on a piano), is related to the mathematical functions developed and described by the Pythagoreans.
Prof: "You know what I think of when I hear "Pythagoreans"? Villans on a really stupid Star Trek Episode. You know, like 'Captain, I've never seen anything like it! The Pythagoreans are attacking!'"
Okay, so there's my trig class today, in condensed form. Cliff's Notes, maybe. :p
Choir auditions are tomorrow!! I'm psyched!
Okay, so you know someone is a Lord of the Rings enthusiast when you can ask them "what is Dagmor", and they promptly respond "Beren's Sword"...now...can anyone tell me what "Dagmor" means? In Westernesse, or course.
Or when you ask who said "Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens", and they quickly respond "Gimli!!"
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Menger's Principle of Subjective Cellphone Posting
Okay, I know this is a little different, and for those of you out there who don't appreciate the "differences" I bring to the table, there's still time to get out of you browser window.
You still with me? Okay. Now, you are probably wondering what this "different thing" is...some smart people might have already figured it out, but I'm gonna assume that since you are reading my blog, you don't fit in that category. Yes, I just dissed on all my readers. Forgive me.
It's not really all that exciting. But here's what it is..
I posted twice in less then 18 hours.
That's it. That's the different thing I did. Spectacular, wasn't it? And totally not what you were expecting. But you do have to admit, it IS different.
So, exactly a week ago today, I got a cellphone. Unfortunately, the joy at getting a new phone was greatly diminished by a jerk of a sales rep. The fellow basically trashed our phones, calling them "obsolete pieces of junk" and calling us "idiots". If I talk about that guy anymore, I'll lose my salvation. Actually, that's a whole other discussion right there, and one I'd prefer not to go into. Theologians have been discussing that for quite a long time, and I don't see that I could add any insight into the debate. "Losing my salvation" of course, merely means that I would get extremely mad, irate, and think mean horrible thoughts about the jerk, thereby sinning...
Anyway, I'm doing an Economics class in school...and I just learned about Menger's Principle of Subjective Value. Basically it states that "Value is subjective to the person, and changes for each person." So essentially, for any one thing, there can be up to, and exceeding 6 billion different values placed upon that thing. One, and at least one, for each person. Ever heard the saying "One man's trash is another's treasure"?
Apparently our special sales rep hadn't. We LOVE the phones we have...they get great reception, good battery life, etc...we don't text, Facebook, email, or do anything but CALL people from our phones. So why in the world would we want a 200 dollar smart phone? The phones we use, while perhaps seeming obsolete to other people, serve our puposes quite nicely, and cost under $40, with no contract.
To quote my Economics text: "People dislike Menger's Principle of Subjective Value because it is unsettling to think that their way of valuing goods and services is not THE way."
Okay, back to studying. :)
You still with me? Okay. Now, you are probably wondering what this "different thing" is...some smart people might have already figured it out, but I'm gonna assume that since you are reading my blog, you don't fit in that category. Yes, I just dissed on all my readers. Forgive me.
It's not really all that exciting. But here's what it is..
I posted twice in less then 18 hours.
That's it. That's the different thing I did. Spectacular, wasn't it? And totally not what you were expecting. But you do have to admit, it IS different.
So, exactly a week ago today, I got a cellphone. Unfortunately, the joy at getting a new phone was greatly diminished by a jerk of a sales rep. The fellow basically trashed our phones, calling them "obsolete pieces of junk" and calling us "idiots". If I talk about that guy anymore, I'll lose my salvation. Actually, that's a whole other discussion right there, and one I'd prefer not to go into. Theologians have been discussing that for quite a long time, and I don't see that I could add any insight into the debate. "Losing my salvation" of course, merely means that I would get extremely mad, irate, and think mean horrible thoughts about the jerk, thereby sinning...
Anyway, I'm doing an Economics class in school...and I just learned about Menger's Principle of Subjective Value. Basically it states that "Value is subjective to the person, and changes for each person." So essentially, for any one thing, there can be up to, and exceeding 6 billion different values placed upon that thing. One, and at least one, for each person. Ever heard the saying "One man's trash is another's treasure"?
Apparently our special sales rep hadn't. We LOVE the phones we have...they get great reception, good battery life, etc...we don't text, Facebook, email, or do anything but CALL people from our phones. So why in the world would we want a 200 dollar smart phone? The phones we use, while perhaps seeming obsolete to other people, serve our puposes quite nicely, and cost under $40, with no contract.
To quote my Economics text: "People dislike Menger's Principle of Subjective Value because it is unsettling to think that their way of valuing goods and services is not THE way."
Okay, back to studying. :)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
a Rocking Trig Prof
Okay, so I really like my Trig teacher...he's pretty cool...I spent half the class time just writing down his random comments in the margin of my notebook...
Prof: 8 down, infinity to go..
Prof: I'm easily startled. After all, I do write on walls for a living. Well, that's not all I do. I also point at the walls I write on. (speaking of the white board)
Prof: This is the technical manuever known as "the ol' switcharoo"
Prof: "complicated" and "interesting" are just two words synonymous with each other.
Prof: "It turns out that"..."Those are the 4 dangerous words in Math...Big Green Monsters can hide behind those words."
Prof: In case you were wondering, that button on your calculator does NOT mean "iniquity" or "crime". SIN is merely an abbreviation for SINE, a trigonometric function. It's not a sin to hit the button.
yah, so there's some of my prof's famous sayings...they are, of course, much better in real life, but..
So, today...I went to a concert at EU to kick off the new school year. They start tomorrow morning...I'm not going to school there, but I have a really close friend who is...and so 5 of us went to the concert...I set a new record...I stayed for SEVEN WHOLE SECONDS into the first song before I got up and walked out...
1). it was really loud, and I can't stand loud noises being made for no particular reason.
2). It reminded me EXACTLY of a Led Zepplin concert..
3). The Lead Singer introduced the first song as a song he had written about his fiancee, call "your smile" -- I don't know, but personally, at a Christian college, I wouldn't be playing just secular songs on the night before school starts...just seems to set things off on the wrong foot for new students..
4). I live by these two mottos.
a). What Would Jesus Do?
b). Would I feel comfortable with the situation I'm involved in if Jesus was right next to me?
In answer to those questions...
a). I can just see Jesus being introduced as a "man of God, who loves to Rock!!"...yah, not. I'm not sure, but I just can't see Him standing on stage, encouraging all the people in the audience to press in as close as possible to the stage, while loud music is blasted in their ears, and then listen to Him sing about some girl's smile.
b). Personally, I can't sit through something like that. I'm not comfortable with watching what looks like to me to be a LZ concert, and not feel....convicted by it.
I understand that people have different point of views. One of my best friends walked out with me. My other 3 best friends stayed, and loved the concert. I don't have a grudge against them at all. They understand where I'm coming from, and I understand where they are coming from. Well, mostly, anyway. :p...
Prof: 8 down, infinity to go..
Prof: I'm easily startled. After all, I do write on walls for a living. Well, that's not all I do. I also point at the walls I write on. (speaking of the white board)
Prof: This is the technical manuever known as "the ol' switcharoo"
Prof: "complicated" and "interesting" are just two words synonymous with each other.
Prof: "It turns out that"..."Those are the 4 dangerous words in Math...Big Green Monsters can hide behind those words."
Prof: In case you were wondering, that button on your calculator does NOT mean "iniquity" or "crime". SIN is merely an abbreviation for SINE, a trigonometric function. It's not a sin to hit the button.
yah, so there's some of my prof's famous sayings...they are, of course, much better in real life, but..
So, today...I went to a concert at EU to kick off the new school year. They start tomorrow morning...I'm not going to school there, but I have a really close friend who is...and so 5 of us went to the concert...I set a new record...I stayed for SEVEN WHOLE SECONDS into the first song before I got up and walked out...
1). it was really loud, and I can't stand loud noises being made for no particular reason.
2). It reminded me EXACTLY of a Led Zepplin concert..
3). The Lead Singer introduced the first song as a song he had written about his fiancee, call "your smile" -- I don't know, but personally, at a Christian college, I wouldn't be playing just secular songs on the night before school starts...just seems to set things off on the wrong foot for new students..
4). I live by these two mottos.
a). What Would Jesus Do?
b). Would I feel comfortable with the situation I'm involved in if Jesus was right next to me?
In answer to those questions...
a). I can just see Jesus being introduced as a "man of God, who loves to Rock!!"...yah, not. I'm not sure, but I just can't see Him standing on stage, encouraging all the people in the audience to press in as close as possible to the stage, while loud music is blasted in their ears, and then listen to Him sing about some girl's smile.
b). Personally, I can't sit through something like that. I'm not comfortable with watching what looks like to me to be a LZ concert, and not feel....convicted by it.
I understand that people have different point of views. One of my best friends walked out with me. My other 3 best friends stayed, and loved the concert. I don't have a grudge against them at all. They understand where I'm coming from, and I understand where they are coming from. Well, mostly, anyway. :p...
Friday, August 22, 2008
Universalist Bhuddaism
Okay, okay!! Sorry! I'm posting already....
Okay...so since my last post...I've turned 18 years young. Yipee!! But, you know what? It doesn't really feel a whole ton different then 17. But..oh well.
I'm soooo tired. I've been away from home for 14 hours today. Our first day of Orchestra was today, so I was there from 8:30 till 4:30...then I had to go to a Wedding Rehearsal, where I'm playing in a string quartet. After the Rehearsal, we had a Rehearsal Dinner in the most exclusive restuarant in town. So...that was pretty cool. Especially since I didn't have to pay a penny. :) So, I just got home about 15 minutes ago, and it's 10:40 now. So pretty muchly, I'm bushed...
Okay, Maddie, here's my college situation. I'm dual enrolling at a local community college this fall. I've got two classes. English 101 (Comp) and Trigonometry. My English teacher is okay...I think it'll be a decent class. My trig teacher is...eccentric. Maddie, you'll love this...he names his calculators. His one that he uses for class is "Huey"...cause it's a Hewlett\Packard. His Texas Instruments calculator's name is "Tex"...Anyway's, he's pretty fun. I think that will be a pretty decent class too. Okay...so there's that....
Oh, and here's a story about a couple people I talked to about Religion...
The conversation, as follows, is as near to verbatim as I can recall. Some things are already a little fuzzy in my head, but to my best recollection, all thoughts and ideas are communicated properly.
Chad (just a random person I engaged in conversation) goes to a Free Will Baptist Church...so after we talked about the differences between Calvanism and Armenianism, I asked if he considered himself a Christian...
Chad: yes.
Me: What makes someone a Christian?
Chad: Belief.
Me: Belief? A Muslim Believes...is a Muslim a Christian?
Chad: uhhh..no.
Me: So what makes someone a Christian?
Chad: Belief in God.
Me: Ohhhh...gotcha..so a Muslim IS a Christian...cause they believe in God...
Chad: oh. hmmm...I'm not really sure...
At this point, the Bhuddist fellow sitting on the other side of me joins in the conversation...(I didn't even know he was there, much less listening, much less Bhuddist)...
Bhudda: Oh, it's just a belief in Religion. I'm a religious person. Most people are...See, I follow Bhudda, therefore I'm saved. You follow God...so you're saved. It doesn't matter who you believe in, just as long as you don't go to Hell...It's more like..following an Ideal. Everybody follows the Ideal thats right for them, ya know? And so everybody is going to Heaven, right?
Me: ummm...possibly. But what if you are wrong? What if you live your life believing this Ideal, and you find out when you die that you totally followed the wrong Ideal, and that you are doomed to live at eternity apart from God, in Hell? Okay, now...it's not my job to say "I'm right, you're wrong, I'm going to Heaven, and you're going to Hell"...that's Gods job...but I CAN make you think about what you believe, why you believe it, and if your belief really is logical, or if there is something really quite wrong about it. So, what if you are wrong?
Bhudda: Well, then..I'd say it's a good ride, and I did the best I could. Man, you are a philosopher, through and through!! I present my idea, and you tear it to shreds, make me think about what I believe, and then sit there laughing quietly to yourself while I attempt to piece together what's left of my argument and religion. You are amazing!!! I love it!!!
Me: ...so, a good ride, huh?
At this point, Bhudda's girlfriend (or a girl, anyway), came back, and so he catches her up a little on the conversation we just had...Meanwhile, I go back to Chad...
Me: So, Chad...do you memorize Scripture?
Chad: ummm..a little, but not as much as I should, probably.
(at this point, Chad has an appointment he has to go to...which is really legit. Before we ever started talking about God, he mentioned that he had to be somewhere about this time)
Chad: *looks at watch*...oh hey, dude. I've got to run. It was great talking with you.
Me: So...think about what I've said a little, why don't you? Find out what Christianity is, and then you can really claim to be a Christian.
Chad: Yah, I will. Thanks a bunch for talking with me, dude. I appreciate it. See you around?
Me: No problem, man. Yah, I'll be seeing you.
(Bhudda comes back on-scene, getting ready to leave)
Bhudda: Hey, man, are you a freshman?
Me: Yah, I am, how about you?
Bhudda: Me too!! Dude, I've so gotta talk to you again, you make me think so much!!! So..maybe we can talk again another day?
Me: Definitely man. Anytime you got time.
I did leave out a few parts of the conversation, as related to career choices, and classes that were being taken...I included all I could remember about the actual Religion/God/Hell/Heaven etc part...
Okay...so since my last post...I've turned 18 years young. Yipee!! But, you know what? It doesn't really feel a whole ton different then 17. But..oh well.
I'm soooo tired. I've been away from home for 14 hours today. Our first day of Orchestra was today, so I was there from 8:30 till 4:30...then I had to go to a Wedding Rehearsal, where I'm playing in a string quartet. After the Rehearsal, we had a Rehearsal Dinner in the most exclusive restuarant in town. So...that was pretty cool. Especially since I didn't have to pay a penny. :) So, I just got home about 15 minutes ago, and it's 10:40 now. So pretty muchly, I'm bushed...
Okay, Maddie, here's my college situation. I'm dual enrolling at a local community college this fall. I've got two classes. English 101 (Comp) and Trigonometry. My English teacher is okay...I think it'll be a decent class. My trig teacher is...eccentric. Maddie, you'll love this...he names his calculators. His one that he uses for class is "Huey"...cause it's a Hewlett\Packard. His Texas Instruments calculator's name is "Tex"...Anyway's, he's pretty fun. I think that will be a pretty decent class too. Okay...so there's that....
Oh, and here's a story about a couple people I talked to about Religion...
The conversation, as follows, is as near to verbatim as I can recall. Some things are already a little fuzzy in my head, but to my best recollection, all thoughts and ideas are communicated properly.
Chad (just a random person I engaged in conversation) goes to a Free Will Baptist Church...so after we talked about the differences between Calvanism and Armenianism, I asked if he considered himself a Christian...
Chad: yes.
Me: What makes someone a Christian?
Chad: Belief.
Me: Belief? A Muslim Believes...is a Muslim a Christian?
Chad: uhhh..no.
Me: So what makes someone a Christian?
Chad: Belief in God.
Me: Ohhhh...gotcha..so a Muslim IS a Christian...cause they believe in God...
Chad: oh. hmmm...I'm not really sure...
At this point, the Bhuddist fellow sitting on the other side of me joins in the conversation...(I didn't even know he was there, much less listening, much less Bhuddist)...
Bhudda: Oh, it's just a belief in Religion. I'm a religious person. Most people are...See, I follow Bhudda, therefore I'm saved. You follow God...so you're saved. It doesn't matter who you believe in, just as long as you don't go to Hell...It's more like..following an Ideal. Everybody follows the Ideal thats right for them, ya know? And so everybody is going to Heaven, right?
Me: ummm...possibly. But what if you are wrong? What if you live your life believing this Ideal, and you find out when you die that you totally followed the wrong Ideal, and that you are doomed to live at eternity apart from God, in Hell? Okay, now...it's not my job to say "I'm right, you're wrong, I'm going to Heaven, and you're going to Hell"...that's Gods job...but I CAN make you think about what you believe, why you believe it, and if your belief really is logical, or if there is something really quite wrong about it. So, what if you are wrong?
Bhudda: Well, then..I'd say it's a good ride, and I did the best I could. Man, you are a philosopher, through and through!! I present my idea, and you tear it to shreds, make me think about what I believe, and then sit there laughing quietly to yourself while I attempt to piece together what's left of my argument and religion. You are amazing!!! I love it!!!
Me: ...so, a good ride, huh?
At this point, Bhudda's girlfriend (or a girl, anyway), came back, and so he catches her up a little on the conversation we just had...Meanwhile, I go back to Chad...
Me: So, Chad...do you memorize Scripture?
Chad: ummm..a little, but not as much as I should, probably.
(at this point, Chad has an appointment he has to go to...which is really legit. Before we ever started talking about God, he mentioned that he had to be somewhere about this time)
Chad: *looks at watch*...oh hey, dude. I've got to run. It was great talking with you.
Me: So...think about what I've said a little, why don't you? Find out what Christianity is, and then you can really claim to be a Christian.
Chad: Yah, I will. Thanks a bunch for talking with me, dude. I appreciate it. See you around?
Me: No problem, man. Yah, I'll be seeing you.
(Bhudda comes back on-scene, getting ready to leave)
Bhudda: Hey, man, are you a freshman?
Me: Yah, I am, how about you?
Bhudda: Me too!! Dude, I've so gotta talk to you again, you make me think so much!!! So..maybe we can talk again another day?
Me: Definitely man. Anytime you got time.
I did leave out a few parts of the conversation, as related to career choices, and classes that were being taken...I included all I could remember about the actual Religion/God/Hell/Heaven etc part...
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