Math Can Lie

When I was young, my father told me a story that had me hooked on Math ever since. He attributed the tale to Einstein, who was a speaker at a business convention in Germany. I haven't been able to verify that, or even find this example anywhere, but it certainly rings true that Math does not always paint an accurate picture.

Einstein was allegedly attending this conference when an audience member opined that anything can be proved using Mathematics as it is always true. Einstein disagreed. As my father tells it, Einstein said, "Math can lie.

"Three salesmen found they needed to spend the night at an inn. They asked the front desk clerk the cost of the room for the evening, and were told, '$12'. Each man paid $4, and the bellhop took them to their room.

"Later that evening, the desk clerk discovered he made an error. The cost of the room for the night was only $8. He gave $4 to the bellhop and instructed him to return it to the salesmen.

"On the way to the room, the bellhop took $1 as a tip, as the salesmen had not tipped him earlier. He then gave the remaining $3 to the salesmen.

"Now, $8 for the cost of the room plus $4 refunded totals $12.  Each man originally paid $4 each, for a total of $12, but now they have paid $3 each and received $1 each in refund for a total of $12. This balances perfectly, no?

"So where did the dollar come from that is in the bellhop's pocket?

"Math can lie."

When I got older and went shopping for my first car, my father reminded me of this story, and warned me to be careful of the calculations the car dealers would throw at me. With the right knowledge, and perhaps a little bit of talent, anyone can twist the numbers to make them suit their needs.

My Ambidextrious Eating Machine

Time flies!

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted, but in view of all that's happened over the past three months, it is certainly understandable.

I will update everyone soon, beginning with the car accident my family was in and the extensive care my stepmom has needed, to finishing my Geometry course and enrolling in the Master of Arts program for Mathematics Education.

In the meantime, I hope everyone is well.

The Latest Afghan

Finished! I started this afghan when I was pregnant with Ian in 2000, but never really had a reason to get it done. Well, my nephew Andy is getting married in two months, and that was an excellent reason to get myself in gear! I hope they like it. It will lay across the top of a full size bed, or make a nice throw to cuddle up on the couch. :) I'm giving it to them at their bridal shower tomorrow.

Building with Uncle Hope

I ordered a set of TV trays for when I have company over and not enough table space. Ian said, "There's a whole bunch of extra pieces here. I'll just throw them out." I said, "NOOOO!!!" and explained they were the parts for the stand. Uncle Hope showed him how to put it together.

Eye Exams

Ian and I had our eye examinations yesterday. He's been complaining about not being able to see the blackboard, so I took us in. Ian went first.

Before Ian was set up to have his distance vision checked, Dr. Arenos checked his color vision. He showed him a page in a book and asked Ian to tell him what he saw. Ian said, "6." Dr. Arenos looked at the page himself, and then said, "WHAT do you see?" to which Ian replied, "6?" Dr. Arenos then looked at me and said, "Any issues with color vision in your family?"

An understatement. I have color issues along with my father, various cousins on my father's side (including a cousin who is completely color blind), two of my mother's brothers, and various cousins on my mother's side.

Dr. Arenos was thrilled! Well, maybe that's not quite the right word for it, but when he did my eye exam, he confirmed that in the 23 years he has been a practicing optometrist, I am the 18th woman he has met who is color deficient. He said that color deficiencies have always fascinated him.

He explained that true color blindness is a very rare, and very serious, condition. Most people who are called "color blind" are, in fact, varying degrees of color deficient. Ian has trouble differentiating between greens. I have trouble with greens, blues and purples. My father has trouble with greens and blues. (For years my father referred to his "green suit". My mother insisted it was actually blue.)

Dr. Arenos also explained that the 'color blind gene', for lack of a better descriptive, is carried on the X chromosome. He said what you get is a crap shoot, really. I was just unlucky enough to get the gene from both my color deficient father and my color deficient gene-carrying mother. He also said my brother is actually very, very lucky to see color, as the odds were as against him seeing color as they were against me being color deficient. It is rare, but it happens. That made me think of something else in our family relating to our eyes.

Every single Tabor boy, going back from my generation, has blue eyes. Every single Tabor girl has brown eyes. My father and his brother? Blue eyes. My two paternal aunts? Brown eyes. My grandfather Norman and his brother, Vincent? Blue eyes. Their sister, Mae? Brown eyes. My great-grandfather Charles? Blue eyes. And so far, I have been able to ascertain that two of Charles' four sisters had brown eyes. Even my sister has brown eyes.

My brother, however? Brown eyes. And mine are blue. Weird coincidence.

So, anyway, the good news is...well, I'm not really sure. The bad news is, in additional to having a degree of color deficiency, Ian now needs glasses. And I need new ones, too.

Kiss $600 good-bye.

Blurry but Beautiful

Yay Me! :D

Ripple Afghan

Been working on this one for two years ... It's coming along now, though. I'm half way there!

Vocabulary: Three Little Pigs if by Shakespeare

The Drive Home

I haven't updated everyone in a while, but I plan to do that this weekend. So much news to share! In the meantime, this is a picture of my drive home yesterday. Took almost 2 hours for a 25 minute ride!

Family

The best way I've found to deal with unpleasantness at work is to keep my family around me. My picture of my screen didn't turn out too well, but my wallpaper is my cousin Jodie with my new cousin, Jen, and stuck on the corner of my screen I have a picture of my cousin Dorinda holding my first cousin once removed, Natalie:

Here are many pictures of my son with pictures of my brother and sister-in-law:

And here are more pictures of my brother, my nephew Jeff holding my great-nephew, Tristan, my sister with her husband and my nephew, Andy, and another of Ian and I:

They are a constant reminder of how absolutely lucky I am. I have a wonderful family, I am healthy, and I am employed :)

T and My Christmas Cookies

I boxed up cookies and sent them West. :) Jeff got his today and shared with T. He's so CUTE!

Anticipation...

Ian is telling anyone who will listen that the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series JUST FOR HIM. They did, after all, win it on his birthday.

This year for Christmas, I ordered a baseball cap in his size from the Cards, and when it comes, if it comes in time, I am taking it to Lids to have 10-28-11 embroidered on the back. He'll love it.

I hope it comes in time!

I'll Be Home For Christmas

My favorite acapella

Cookie Plate

For my neighbor, Michaelea. :)

A little sample of the cookies we've baked over the past few weeks: peanut blossoms, chili chocolate chip, Chinese almond, mint pastels, peanut butter, mint chocolate, salt nut truffles, and Mexican wedding cakes. We've been busy!

I'm sending out packages of cookies to my brother and nephew in Seattle and a friend in Texas. I have to remember to give them a head's up - the chili chocolate cookies have a bit of heat to them. They are SO good.

Cookie Swap

Mexican Wedding Cakes and Mint Chocolate Cookies all ready for the Cookie Swap on Monday.

Oh, Calvin...

My friend Denise: So, Ian, what do you want for Christmas?

A hydrogen-powered remote control car!

Heaven help me.

Calvin Strikes Again

First thing this morning.

Mom? Can we fill my pants with helium?

Errr....why?

So I can fly.

Um. The helium would all leak out of your pants because they're not sealed.

No, it wouldn't. We could use duct tape.

No. No, we can't. I don't have any duct tape.

Maybe we can get some at the store.

Maybe, but we don't have any helium, either.

We could call Mythbusters.

No. I don't know their number. And you don't either. Are you getting ready for school?

Oh. Yeah. One minute.

6:30 comes WAY too early for this.

Cookies

Hair pulled back? Check.

Nails trimmed and hands well washed? Check.

Counter-top and sink disinfected? Check.

All of this germophobia stuff is done for a reason. First, Ian hasn't been feeling well. I don't want to serve Christmas cookies with a side of flu to anyone! The second reason involves a memory...

I was invited to a friend's home one evening a couple years ago for dinner. She prepared the meatloaf we were going to eat after I arrived. After she mixed the meatloaf with hands I did not see her wash, she cleaned out the meat that got caught under her fingernails into the bowl! Needless to say, I could not eat anything that night, and I have never eaten in her home since.

Besides. Do I really want to give my Christmas cookies as gifts with a side of hair? No.

So let the Christmas Cookie Baking begin!

I haven't baked Christmas cookies since I moved in here 11 years ago. My counter-top is 30" wide by 24" deep, so I have very little working room. I decided it has been too long, so I got the ingredients and gave it a go. I only burned myself on a hot pan once.

I managed to extend my work space a bit by using the edge of the kitchen sink. Here you see the first batch of cookies ready to go in the oven.

Here, I balance the sheets of peanut butter cookies ready to go in the oven.


Thank goodness for stacking cooling racks! I used the top of my portable dishwasher to stack the racks on. It was JUST wide enough. :)


These are Pastel Mint cookies and Chinese Almond Cookies. YUM!

And my last two cookie recipes of the day, Peanut Blossoms and Peanut Butter cookies. I moved the racks to my counter-top from the dishwasher so they could cool overnight. Then into the freezer they go to await the gift-giving season.

I just looked at the photo closely - seems like somebody snitched a peanut butter cookie off the third rack!

Tomorrow I am going to tackle sugar cookies. I have a set of cookie cutters that have never been used. It's time!

Happy Birthday to Me!

My friend Nancy gave me this poinsettia for my birthday this year. Love it!