I recently received a card from a fellow co-worker/dear friend/wise mentor who reminded me that as a proud math/science geek I needed to help encourage others into the math/science geekdom. So with that charge in mind, I write my first math, science, and technology blog. Today it's a problem; next week it might be an interesting invention that catches my attention. If nothing else it will be a good way for me to keep up with my own professional community.
Although you could use some fancy mathematics to solve the following problem, it is not neccessary. Knowledge of operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and some time thinking is enough to solve it. Happy solving.
A man entered an apple orchard that had 7 guards and picked some apples. When he left, he gave the first guard half his apples and 1 apple more. To the second guard, he gave half his remaining apples and 1 more. He did the same to each of the remaining five guards and left the orchard with 1 apple. How many apples did he gather in all?
I'll leave the answer in the comments section.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Have You Seen My....?
I FINALLY found my camera! (Thank goodness!) It was in my work bag. The sad thing is I have absolutely no recollection of putting it there or why I might have thought it was a good idea to store it there. I wish I could blame it on the pregnancy...experts do say you lose brain cells during this time...but people like my mother, T, Trophy Life, our good friend, S, and I'm sure several others would be able to call my bluff.
The truth is I am a person who temporarily misplaces things all the time. People are constantly accompanying me on shoe searches, key quests, and general 'Have you seen my (fill in the blank)?' hunts. I am not sure what this characteristic says about me, and to be honest, I would rather not think about it. I have just decided to accept this flaw and am appreciative of the people around me who put up with it.
The truth is I am a person who temporarily misplaces things all the time. People are constantly accompanying me on shoe searches, key quests, and general 'Have you seen my (fill in the blank)?' hunts. I am not sure what this characteristic says about me, and to be honest, I would rather not think about it. I have just decided to accept this flaw and am appreciative of the people around me who put up with it.
The good news for me is now that I have my camera back I can share some pictures I originally intended to post.
Little Bean at 7 weeks. (Yep, that little oblong shape on the left is the baby.)
Profile of Little Bean at 12 1/2 weeks.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Saturday Circle Game
If you were to go back to school, what institute would you attend? (Assume, of course, that we are all brilliant, admission is guaranteed, and funds are no object.)
Friday, August 28, 2009
Prego Report
Disclaimers: 1) I am stealing Two Pretzel's idea of a pregnancy update. Hope you don't mind, TP. :) 2) A high school friend, MT (actually now MB), used the title phrase and I thought it was cute, so I'm stealing this too.
My goal is to write a pregnancy update every doctor's visit. So, to catch up to current times...
BABY:
First doctor's appointment was early July as was the first ultrasound. The baby looked like a bean and was a whooping length of 9mm. (Hence, from now on I will refer to it as Little Bean or LB when I'm feeling particularly lazy.) 5 weeks later at our next visit Little Bean measured in at 6 cm (about 2 1/2 inches), had arms and legs that moved, and a mouth that opened and closed. This blew me out of the water and was by far the first time I felt this whole pregnancy thing might be real. (I really wish I could show you some of the pictures, but my camera is MIA. So sad.)
ME:
Besides feeling as if I ALWAYS have a cold (since June) and sometimes can't breathe, I've been extremely fortunate and have been feeling fabulous. My regular clothes are starting to feel a little uncomfortable even with the hair rubberband trick, and I took my first trip to the maternity store at the beginning of this week. Pants with elastic waistbands...HERE I COME! I did have a little freak-out moment in the changing room when I put on the fake 7 month belly and couldn't see my feet. What?!
T:
Has been very understanding with all the minor aches, pains, and constant naps I take. He was particularly adorable when he sat down with me Tuesday evening to read and write some thoughts of his own in the baby keepsake journal we got from a friend this week.
Next doctors appointment: Mid September
My goal is to write a pregnancy update every doctor's visit. So, to catch up to current times...
BABY:
First doctor's appointment was early July as was the first ultrasound. The baby looked like a bean and was a whooping length of 9mm. (Hence, from now on I will refer to it as Little Bean or LB when I'm feeling particularly lazy.) 5 weeks later at our next visit Little Bean measured in at 6 cm (about 2 1/2 inches), had arms and legs that moved, and a mouth that opened and closed. This blew me out of the water and was by far the first time I felt this whole pregnancy thing might be real. (I really wish I could show you some of the pictures, but my camera is MIA. So sad.)
ME:
Besides feeling as if I ALWAYS have a cold (since June) and sometimes can't breathe, I've been extremely fortunate and have been feeling fabulous. My regular clothes are starting to feel a little uncomfortable even with the hair rubberband trick, and I took my first trip to the maternity store at the beginning of this week. Pants with elastic waistbands...HERE I COME! I did have a little freak-out moment in the changing room when I put on the fake 7 month belly and couldn't see my feet. What?!
T:
Has been very understanding with all the minor aches, pains, and constant naps I take. He was particularly adorable when he sat down with me Tuesday evening to read and write some thoughts of his own in the baby keepsake journal we got from a friend this week.
Next doctors appointment: Mid September
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Guilty Secret
I'm addicted to Big Brother 11. I'm not proud of it. It's not great TV. It raises my blood pressure whenever it is on. But I can't stop watching it. Thank goodness the season will be over soon!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Back in Session
Summer is over and school will soon be in session. It's a big time for anyone with a job somehow related to education. Although I will miss the freedom of my summer, I also enjoy the excitement of a new school year. I am fortunate to be in a career where "do-overs" are possible for everyone involved. New slate. And for the moment, opportunities and possibilities are infinite.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Brita and Body Pillow
A few random thoughts about two items that I purchased recently.
1) I LOVE my new Brita. Why I didn't invest my $18 earlier, I don't know. Since the little bean announced its existence earlier in the summer, I had an aversion to water, which was weird for me. I usually drank water all the time. Our tap water just didn't taste good anymore, and I hated buying bottled water. Although I'll do it from time to time, I hate the waste. Brita has made my water taste good again, and the upkeep of changing the little filter seems completely worth it.
2) My body pillow...it wasn't love at first sight for sure. I'm a toss and turn kind of girl. So the first night with the pillow was a little cumbersome. It's hard to swing an almost 4 1/2 foot pillow from side to side. T accused me of pulling some WWE wrestling moves the first night. I think I nailed him once with my elbow and a few times with the pillow itself. Since then I've learned to control the pillow a little better, and now I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to sleep without one again. I think it'll be a little hard to travel with, though.
1) I LOVE my new Brita. Why I didn't invest my $18 earlier, I don't know. Since the little bean announced its existence earlier in the summer, I had an aversion to water, which was weird for me. I usually drank water all the time. Our tap water just didn't taste good anymore, and I hated buying bottled water. Although I'll do it from time to time, I hate the waste. Brita has made my water taste good again, and the upkeep of changing the little filter seems completely worth it.
2) My body pillow...it wasn't love at first sight for sure. I'm a toss and turn kind of girl. So the first night with the pillow was a little cumbersome. It's hard to swing an almost 4 1/2 foot pillow from side to side. T accused me of pulling some WWE wrestling moves the first night. I think I nailed him once with my elbow and a few times with the pillow itself. Since then I've learned to control the pillow a little better, and now I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to sleep without one again. I think it'll be a little hard to travel with, though.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Saturday Circle Game
It's BACK!! I know it's not technically Saturday, so please excuse the tardiness. This question is in honor of the wedding we attended tonight. So much fun, but it'll take my feet some time to forgive me for the shoes I forced them into.
What is your favorite wedding reception song? The one that's going to get you groovin' on the dance floor. Or feel free to answer the opposite. What is your least favorite reception song, sure to leave you glued to your seat?
What is your favorite wedding reception song? The one that's going to get you groovin' on the dance floor. Or feel free to answer the opposite. What is your least favorite reception song, sure to leave you glued to your seat?
Friday, August 21, 2009
Teeth Cleaning
I'll preface this post by saying I like my dentist office. There are five dentist that work there and a gazillion hygienist. Every single one of them that I have meet has been great.
But what I don't understand is why they try to talk to me with their hands in my mouth. Of course the yes/no questions are OK as I can nod my head to indicate my answer. Questions like "When do you go back to school?" or "Have you traveled anywhere this summer?" are trickier. So I wait until they briefly pull their hands out of my mouth, shout "Hilton Head" before she plunges her hands back into my mouth and hope they don't ask a follow up question that is any more involve.
But what I don't understand is why they try to talk to me with their hands in my mouth. Of course the yes/no questions are OK as I can nod my head to indicate my answer. Questions like "When do you go back to school?" or "Have you traveled anywhere this summer?" are trickier. So I wait until they briefly pull their hands out of my mouth, shout "Hilton Head" before she plunges her hands back into my mouth and hope they don't ask a follow up question that is any more involve.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
"Carry On"
T put a link to a video clip on OHSAA's website about two teenagers from Cleveland, OH that aired on ESPN . The video is about 10 minutes long, but I felt it was worth the time. There is a short update about the guys from the ESPN producer on OHSAA's website. These two guys are inspiring.
Mole Man, Part 2
Dear Ty,
I wish you could have seen the look on my husband's face when you called him last night. It was sheer joy. I thought perhaps you told him that he was going to receive free milkshakes at the parlor for the next 10 years, or that you heard there was a lucrative position open in the Reds front office that he would be perfect for.
Nope, you were calling for family members who wanted his advice on how to get rid of moles. And he was honored you called him. (He didn't say this directly, but I could tell.) Finally, his hours of researching the little critters on youtube and Mole Man paid off.
I will never pretend to understand this fascination of his with moles and their extermination, but I will never cease to be amused by it. So many good stories have come from it. I mean, how can we ever forget the Momma K cell phone message about their mole.
P.S. If you're interested in refreshing your memory on Mole Man, Part 1 it was written in April 2007.
I wish you could have seen the look on my husband's face when you called him last night. It was sheer joy. I thought perhaps you told him that he was going to receive free milkshakes at the parlor for the next 10 years, or that you heard there was a lucrative position open in the Reds front office that he would be perfect for.
Nope, you were calling for family members who wanted his advice on how to get rid of moles. And he was honored you called him. (He didn't say this directly, but I could tell.) Finally, his hours of researching the little critters on youtube and Mole Man paid off.
I will never pretend to understand this fascination of his with moles and their extermination, but I will never cease to be amused by it. So many good stories have come from it. I mean, how can we ever forget the Momma K cell phone message about their mole.
P.S. If you're interested in refreshing your memory on Mole Man, Part 1 it was written in April 2007.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The joys of home maintenence
There are some days I wonder if T and I had any business buying a house. Our knowledge about home maintenance is limited. The majority of the time we hire out jobs that need attention or we just turn a blind eye. For instance, two years ago T, with my consent, ripped the closet doors off our guest bedroom closet - I can't even remember why at this point, it's been so long. To this day the closet remains doorless and you can see all of my off-season clothes hanging in it as you reach the top of our second story. Classy.
But today I did it. I tackled a project on my own. The guest bathroom drain was plugged. In the past, if my homemade "Draino" (a combination of baking soda, vinegar, and boiling water) didn't do the trick, I called our faithful plumbers. God bless Scott, the plumber, who showed me how to unclog the drain by myself last year. The man did not crack a smile or even show traces of a pleasant personality during his time in my home, but he taught me a life-long skill. And this year, as I plunged and fished out the gunk from our drain, I silently thanked him for the $80 he saved me today. Joyously, victoriously, I enjoyed the lack of water pooling at the base of our tub. Sweet success.
But today I did it. I tackled a project on my own. The guest bathroom drain was plugged. In the past, if my homemade "Draino" (a combination of baking soda, vinegar, and boiling water) didn't do the trick, I called our faithful plumbers. God bless Scott, the plumber, who showed me how to unclog the drain by myself last year. The man did not crack a smile or even show traces of a pleasant personality during his time in my home, but he taught me a life-long skill. And this year, as I plunged and fished out the gunk from our drain, I silently thanked him for the $80 he saved me today. Joyously, victoriously, I enjoyed the lack of water pooling at the base of our tub. Sweet success.
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