Things I learned today...

[mean_liar]

Time mostly. Doing stuff like topology and set theory isn't very intuitive for me, so I constantly need reminders of other theorems and their proofs as a guideline of how I'm supposed to make a new proof. It's doable with the homework because I can dedicate the time while referring to all of my notes, but those are tools I do not have during a test.

Unfortunately it sounds like you just need more practice working your way through proofs...

The only science take-home test I ever had in university was in differential geometry because it was over our heads and it was the only testing method with a decent chance of not flunking the entire class.

[Sashi]

Takehome math and science tests have easily been the most painful school assignments I've ever had to do.

[JonSetanta]

My condolences Count, go get a representative or maybe social worker to help plead your case.

[Doom]

Man, that brings back memories.

It's a bit late in the semester, but if you can afford to just focus on set theory and drop topoplogy, I'd do that. Set theory is critical to everything else in math, and that includes topology. You can take them at the same time, but many topological proof techniques require set theoretical ideas to be 'natural'...and that's hard to pull off if you haven't taken set theory first.

How did you even register for those at the same time, anyway?

[virgil]

It's one class that covers both.

[mean_liar]

Do it up hardcore, virgil. I did grad-level Real Analysis prior to the Intro Set Theory course. The awesome part was taking the Intro Set Theory course in my senior undergrad year, grabbing all the assignments from the course site online and only showing up for tests.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Today, I learned my least favorite thing about being messily ill to the point that I am pretty much incapacitated for the day. Not knowing what specifically caused it. If one knows why one is miserable and knows how to avoid it in the future, a certain degree of satisfaction can be found in treating it as an educational experience.

[Maj]

This weekend, my father-in-law flew out from Minnesota to meet his grandson for the first time. We had fun. One of the things he did for us, though, was take us out to eat (a lot), and we went to our favorite Chinese restaurant (Tea Leaf 2).

The super-awesome woman who works there gave Giovanni a pair of "training" chopsticks, and I learned how kids learn how to use chopsticks. They're connected at the top with loops for your fingers (something like this {OK, amazon, stupid rabbit}). They're pretty cool. My son likes to use them at home to eat blueberries.

I also had a movie experience last night - 11 pm-ish. Literally while driving down the road, the power went out (huge windstorm). It probably wouldn't have been a big deal in a residential area. But this was on a major 5-lane thoroughfare with big-box stores, stoplights, and street lights. And everything just went out.

Which leads me to the next thing I learned: The moon is really bright, even when it's not actually full. The quarter moon last night really lit things up when all the lights were out. I could turn off my car's headlights and still drive (though not much faster than 25 mph). So take note, fiction writers - if you're writing about a setting where there's not a lot of ambient lights, the moon doesn't have to be full.

[RobbyPants]

I'll have to get my daughter a pair of those. A couple of weeks ago, I started using our chopsticks more often for the hell of it, and she wanted to try to. Of course, just having turned two, about all she can do with them is stab things.

[Zinegata]

The super-awesome woman who works there gave Giovanni a pair of "training" chopsticks, and I learned how kids learn how to use chopsticks. They're connected at the top with loops for your fingers (something like this {OK, amazon, stupid rabbit}). They're pretty cool. My son likes to use them at home to eat blueberries.

These would have saved me a lot of embarassment when I was a kid... I was one of the "spoon and fork" people at a table where everyone was using chopsticks.

[cthulhu]

I learned how to use chopsticks when I went camping. With chopsticks and a knife you can eat anything. Plus, they are SUPER easy to clean, and if you break some crappy chopsticks.. whoops?

[name_here]

Bah, forgieners and their chopsticks. Using utensils is the AMURIKAN WAY!

In all seriousness, I can sort of use them but prefer not to.

[Maj]

I was challenged by our family's Japanese exchange student to eat a bowl of ice cream with chopsticks. I did, and she gave me a whole pile of the really nice enamel ones as a prize.

[Prak]

like most other things, my way of eating with chopsticks is some weird half right, but effective, corruption of the accepted way.

[Count Arioch the 28th]

Heard from people I know in local fast-food places that a minimum wage burger job gets 50+ applications around here, having triple-digit applications is not entirely uncommon.

Also, I've been told having more than 1 or 2 jobs in the past 10 years will get your app booted out by most places around here.

I'm skipping town at the end of the month, screw this noise.

[PoliteNewb]

Also, I've been told having more than 1 or 2 jobs in the past 10 years will get your app booted out by most places around here.

Are you fucking KIDDING me?
Brief rundown of my employment history over the last 10 years (I graduated with my bachelors in 2000):

Work at K-Mart in NY
Work at Wal-Mart in AK (moved with my wife)
Work at Lumber Yard in AK
Work for the school district in NY (moved back home)
Work at a Beverage Distributor in NY
Work at a Beverage Distributor in AK (moved back AGAIN)
Work at a Self-Storage business in AK
Quit my job and spend 7 months unemployed
Work for the state of AK (current)

So that's, what...9 jobs, and a sizable period of unemployment in 10 years? And I don't consider myself particularly abnormal (except for the part where I hopped back and forth across the continent; that was simply stupidity on my part).

And they won't even review your resume? During that 7 months, I was interviewed at a number of places, even though I didn't get solid offers from any of them.

Man, if things are that fucked in Virginia, you should take off.

[Maj]

I am more self-conscious online than I am in real life.

[cthulhu]

like most other things, my way of eating with chopsticks is some weird half right, but effective, corruption of the accepted way.

There are a couple of ways of holding chopsticks that derive from different ethnic groups. As only a couple of grips actually work, it's quite plausible you're using a style from a different group.

Also, I've been told having more than 1 or 2 jobs in the past 10 years will get your app booted out by most places around here.

I wouldn't believe this. Usually if it's more than 1 'real' job per two years it might be seen as to much.. unless it's casual, seasonal or contracting work.

[Sashi]

I always assumed chopsticks were like pens: it's not the way you hold them, but the result that matters.

[cthulhu]

It's more like knives and forks - insane rules have grown around what should be rather simple eating utensils

[Maj]

I really like the new Trillian Astra. Really, really, really like it. I had stopped using Trillian for chat a while ago when it was in the sucky phase, but it updated itself when I decided to try using it again. I spent a large part of yesterday evening just playing with it trying to figure out how it worked.

The interface is easy, the functions are simple, but the customizability is enormous. And completely at random (because I hit a button accidentally), I noticed that it has the ability to tell everyone what you're listening to. The best part, though... It's fast again. It's also been an enormous help in working with/for Ess.

And thankfully, it remembered all my accounts for me because I seriously have no idea what they are with whatever service.

[RobbyPants]

I always assumed chopsticks were like pens: it's not the way you hold them, but the result that matters.

Because you put a colon after "pens", I first read it as "penis" and that sentence was even more funny, albeit just as applicable.

[Count Arioch the 28th]

I wouldn't believe this. Usually if it's more than 1 'real' job per two years it might be seen as to much.. unless it's casual, seasonal or contracting work.

Gotta keep in mind, if you're getting 50-100 applications for one position, you need some way to weed out as many people as you can so you don't take forever to fill the spot.

I'm making no judgment on how they are hiring people lately. I am merely stating what is.

[Maj]

Meyer lemons are a cross between a mandarin orange and a lemon. They are not as sour as normal lemons, yet still quite lemony.

They would make great snacking fruit except they're a real pain to peel.

[Roy]

I have learned that having actual standards for the type of game I would like to play makes me an elitist jerk. Granted, I am an elitist jerk, but not for that reason.