My thesis is centered on looking at the history of a conjecture which could probably be considered a mathematical philosophy question. It took nearly 30 years for it to be answered. At the heart of the question - is the natural ordering system we have always give us the best result? By natural ordering, I mean the basic way of counting - how we learn to organize and number - 1 cookie, 2 cookies, and so on. I guess when I say "result" I am being a bit vague - I don't want to get into the nitty gritty here - I think I might lose everyone if I actually explained it. Probably better think of it - suppose you have a very long list of grocery items and are looking to see if "carrot" is on the list. What is the best way to go searching for it? Start at the first item on the list and check them off? Maybe start at the bottom of the list and work your way up? What about start in the middle, consider the first half and check the middle of that, and so on and so on? Any one of these methods could be considered an ordering system - which item comes first, second, third in each method?
What is interesting is that in some situations (which is a really good thing for scientists or well certain scientists) that we have found orderings that give great results (under certain conditions). One group of functions has great behavior if we don't count by 1's but by powers of 2. In the case of functions that relate to this conjecture, we find that the functions as a group don't behave as nicely as we want them to do, but we can do no better than this "ugly" nature if we try to change the ordering.
So you now you are asking me - well why did you name this entry "Crazy proof"? The group of mathematicians who produced the proof submitted an article - the article is approximately 6 pages. The proof of what is the major find, from which you can prove the conjecture in less than 3 lines, is about 2.5 pages long (which by many people's standards is unbelievably short). I've spent almost 10 hours with my advisor working through the proof, plus another 10 or 15 trying to convince myself that things we spoke about were true and figuring out ways to spell all this out. So my full complete version of the proof is the total length of original article. Talk about taking some mathematical freedom when you get to submit journal articles. Yet I think the proof is unsatisfying - there doesn't seem to be any explanation of how the authors came up with their idea - it does not allow any wiggle room for using the ideas in similar contexts. It's quite possible the methods will lead to dead-ends if I try to use them in a new situation. Oh well.
In the meantime, actual writing - 25 pages (it may seem a bit low compared to before - I had to rewrite several pages and combined several proofs), total page count - 29 pages. I really only have about 2 sections left to work one - one that is more a historical account, the other my work. Oh yes - the introduction as well. It's pitiful really. I wish I had some ideas on how to rework that.
Lots of other craziness going on - the wedding detail stuff seems to be ramping up - at least a huge chunk of this work is out of the way. Catch you all later.
End of Week 6
I am exhausted. I think that covers everything. My brain hurts, my body aches, even my hair hurts. Maybe sometime in the future I can manage to catch a good night of sleep. By good I mean refreshing - where I wake up and say, hello day - let's do something!
Seeing as I should be getting to bed - make up class Saturday morning. Not so fun - but I rather it that time then at 5 at night during dinner. Anyway - thesis update: 23 pages of written math, total thesis page count 27.
Sorry, I don't even have the energy to finish this entry. I'll just leave it like this.
Seeing as I should be getting to bed - make up class Saturday morning. Not so fun - but I rather it that time then at 5 at night during dinner. Anyway - thesis update: 23 pages of written math, total thesis page count 27.
Sorry, I don't even have the energy to finish this entry. I'll just leave it like this.
Start of Week 5
I was really good about posting an entry there at the beginning of the semester. But now I have started to get all muddled with things. To be honest - sometimes I am amazed at the amount of random thoughts I have floating around in that gray matter. It is a wonder that I can even manage to string more than three words together while writing my thesis.
I will admit that I am getting bogged down by the details - for lots of things. As I have been told by many helpful camps - there really is not anything I can do about some situations. I can not get a hold of the forces of nature and bend space and time to get me the answers I need when I want them, which incidentally is right after I ask for them. Needless to say, I have been very cranky over the most annoyingly tiny things. I feel bad because I know that Andy has been taking the brunt of my "cranky attacks". Now let me clarify this a bit - I am not cranky about colors of flowers, table linens, silverware, or lighting. The actual practical aspects of the getting married - transportation, moving self and stuff to Texas, getting all the correct forms processed with the right agencies - all doing this in a very short time. Stupid math brain is having a battle of logistics - but there is not one single thing I can do about it. At least not now. Silly me, I can't have a problem like this and not be able to come up with some sort of solution that makes me happy. But I must say things are coming around rather well - wedding wise. So outside of stressing about silly things I have no control over - it is going great.
In the thesis arena - I have written about 12 solid pages of mathematics (even some full-fledged paragraphs too!). Current total pdf number of pages: 19. I am somewhat worried though. I spent the past 2 weeks or so on my own. Little to no adviser guidance. I feel like when we finally get to start meeting again - he will have ripped my 12 pages to half of that, or what is worse, try to make me expand on the little bit of information I have already written. But I guess I have to do it though - if it sounds reasonable. Flashback to when I wrote my honors math research at Dickinson. This work was 29 pages long - but a lion's share of the space was filled with happy triangle pictures. I guess I am on a good track. At Dickinson, it was like pulling teeth to get me to sit down and write that paper. I suppose it didn't help that I had a physics research project and paper to work on at the same time. I intend on spending the rest of February and most of March filling in the 3 chapters I have yet to even touch - and make little adjustments to the ones that I have started.
Teaching: oddly enough, going really well. I am surprised how well the students seem to be taking in the information that I am giving them. The class isn't anything near rigorous math - but every conceptual question I ask (that I would get no reply or blank stares from students when I ta-ed for the 141-142 calculus classes) the students seem to be able to answer without much prodding. More importantly, they respond with the correct ideas. So it is probably the best 50 minute class I have had. I would have more stories - except it is at 8 am and for some reason I breeze right through it and then have difficulty remembering the lecture afterwards.
Other news, Andy is coming for a the long weekend. Do I have off? No - no President's day for me. But it is nice that he gets off.
I think I deserve some cookies and milk. Catch you later.
I will admit that I am getting bogged down by the details - for lots of things. As I have been told by many helpful camps - there really is not anything I can do about some situations. I can not get a hold of the forces of nature and bend space and time to get me the answers I need when I want them, which incidentally is right after I ask for them. Needless to say, I have been very cranky over the most annoyingly tiny things. I feel bad because I know that Andy has been taking the brunt of my "cranky attacks". Now let me clarify this a bit - I am not cranky about colors of flowers, table linens, silverware, or lighting. The actual practical aspects of the getting married - transportation, moving self and stuff to Texas, getting all the correct forms processed with the right agencies - all doing this in a very short time. Stupid math brain is having a battle of logistics - but there is not one single thing I can do about it. At least not now. Silly me, I can't have a problem like this and not be able to come up with some sort of solution that makes me happy. But I must say things are coming around rather well - wedding wise. So outside of stressing about silly things I have no control over - it is going great.
In the thesis arena - I have written about 12 solid pages of mathematics (even some full-fledged paragraphs too!). Current total pdf number of pages: 19. I am somewhat worried though. I spent the past 2 weeks or so on my own. Little to no adviser guidance. I feel like when we finally get to start meeting again - he will have ripped my 12 pages to half of that, or what is worse, try to make me expand on the little bit of information I have already written. But I guess I have to do it though - if it sounds reasonable. Flashback to when I wrote my honors math research at Dickinson. This work was 29 pages long - but a lion's share of the space was filled with happy triangle pictures. I guess I am on a good track. At Dickinson, it was like pulling teeth to get me to sit down and write that paper. I suppose it didn't help that I had a physics research project and paper to work on at the same time. I intend on spending the rest of February and most of March filling in the 3 chapters I have yet to even touch - and make little adjustments to the ones that I have started.
Teaching: oddly enough, going really well. I am surprised how well the students seem to be taking in the information that I am giving them. The class isn't anything near rigorous math - but every conceptual question I ask (that I would get no reply or blank stares from students when I ta-ed for the 141-142 calculus classes) the students seem to be able to answer without much prodding. More importantly, they respond with the correct ideas. So it is probably the best 50 minute class I have had. I would have more stories - except it is at 8 am and for some reason I breeze right through it and then have difficulty remembering the lecture afterwards.
Other news, Andy is coming for a the long weekend. Do I have off? No - no President's day for me. But it is nice that he gets off.
I think I deserve some cookies and milk. Catch you later.
Elevator Encounter
Lately, after returning from school in the afternoon I have been taking the elevator to the 5th floor. It really is a cop out when you think there are 20 floors. I really do try to take the stairs. But on this fateful trip in the elevator I met a young gentlemen who is currently residing on the 3rd floor. Don't get me started on why he was in the elevator - even lacking a a heavy text-laden bookbag - he really should have taken the stairs. After he had kindly pressed the button for my floor as well as his, he gives me a funny look up and down.
"Do you happen to have any lady bug problems in the fifth floor?"
I almost wanted to laugh. But I kept a straight face and replied that yes, I had had a lady bug issue. He to asks me well what did you do? At this point you can imagine, the elevator door has already opened (we only traveled up 2 floors) and seemed to be on the verge of closing without the gentleman having gotten off. I told him I just got some bug spray and sprayed the door-jam for my balcony on a continuous basis for 3 days. After which I pointed to the elevator door, seeing as he hadn't realized it was starting to close. "Oh, thanks." You are welcome.
"Dear swarming Lady-Bug population, Thank you for choosing this guy's third floor apartment as your residence and not mine. -Theresa"
"Do you happen to have any lady bug problems in the fifth floor?"
I almost wanted to laugh. But I kept a straight face and replied that yes, I had had a lady bug issue. He to asks me well what did you do? At this point you can imagine, the elevator door has already opened (we only traveled up 2 floors) and seemed to be on the verge of closing without the gentleman having gotten off. I told him I just got some bug spray and sprayed the door-jam for my balcony on a continuous basis for 3 days. After which I pointed to the elevator door, seeing as he hadn't realized it was starting to close. "Oh, thanks." You are welcome.
"Dear swarming Lady-Bug population, Thank you for choosing this guy's third floor apartment as your residence and not mine. -Theresa"
2 weeks down
Less than 4 months til wedding.
Less than 3 months to complete thesis.
Currently, watching a pug dog lick a monitor screen.
Thanks to Suz and Chris for that one. What would I do without you? Maybe my work, I don't know.
Less than 3 months to complete thesis.
Currently, watching a pug dog lick a monitor screen.
Thanks to Suz and Chris for that one. What would I do without you? Maybe my work, I don't know.
Week 1
I was going to title (and post) this entry last week under the guise of "Week 1 = Poop". It mostly was until Friday afternoon. Yes, you can yell at me for only having to teach for 50 minutes three times a week, and attending one class all semester for 75 minutes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But the first week always feels unbelievably overwhelming. This time even more so - because I realized there is a bunch of forms and things you need to fill out to do this whole graduation thing. Doing this requires setting up meeting times with so-called "important" people. But they are so busy the first week or so - that it just seems impossible to get done. I think it felt even more worse because I was unable to get my own schedule nailed down. It finally has gotten worked out - so I guess I'll be able to sleep at night.
But the reason for the delay of "Week 1 = Poop" is that on Friday afternoon I received a phone call asking me if a someone very special should get on a flight to Columbia because they had a 4 day weekend. Now normally my little voice of reason would say - gosh, that is crazy - you know how much an plane ticket will cost this late in the game - quite a bit is the correct answer. Some how the voice of reason didn't even get a chance to talk because out burst high-pitched yes-es faster than a pitching machine at the batting cages. So needless to say Weekend 1 was great. Too bad the rest of the weekends this semester can not even come close to topping that.
Well, now I feel extremely lonely. I dropped Andy off at the airport this morning and I just about didn't want to go into school today. I could just as well not gone, since I was the least bit productive - outside of sort of figuring out how to go about typing my masters thesis in LaTeX. I hope this week I can finish off the lectures through the first exam for my 122 class, and start building pieces of my thesis. Wedding related tasks: I need to sign us up for a Pre-Cana session, write a bunch of emails to people involved with wedding, start gathering up song ideas for the dj, and possibly creating a minute by minute run down of the important day (not that I specifically have those sorts of details...just create a file for me to fill them in). Other than that - I plan on continuing to bite my nails and be super nervous about everything.
But the reason for the delay of "Week 1 = Poop" is that on Friday afternoon I received a phone call asking me if a someone very special should get on a flight to Columbia because they had a 4 day weekend. Now normally my little voice of reason would say - gosh, that is crazy - you know how much an plane ticket will cost this late in the game - quite a bit is the correct answer. Some how the voice of reason didn't even get a chance to talk because out burst high-pitched yes-es faster than a pitching machine at the batting cages. So needless to say Weekend 1 was great. Too bad the rest of the weekends this semester can not even come close to topping that.
Well, now I feel extremely lonely. I dropped Andy off at the airport this morning and I just about didn't want to go into school today. I could just as well not gone, since I was the least bit productive - outside of sort of figuring out how to go about typing my masters thesis in LaTeX. I hope this week I can finish off the lectures through the first exam for my 122 class, and start building pieces of my thesis. Wedding related tasks: I need to sign us up for a Pre-Cana session, write a bunch of emails to people involved with wedding, start gathering up song ideas for the dj, and possibly creating a minute by minute run down of the important day (not that I specifically have those sorts of details...just create a file for me to fill them in). Other than that - I plan on continuing to bite my nails and be super nervous about everything.
Winter Break and What to Look Forward to in 2008
Wow, that kinda sounds like a news segue right before they cut to commercial break.
What can I say about winter break. I feel exhausted from traveling everywhere. It was wonderful to see Andy. I think this might have been one of the longest times on record we were both in the same place at the same time. The apartment he has (we will soon have) is very nice - although it may become crowded real quick when I try to get my stuff in there. I need to think of a way to minimize the amount of things I will bring with me - but that is a thought for another time.
We spent most of our family-free time - out shopping and buying necessary home goods. I almost don't want to go out shopping for quite a while. We bought ourselves a tree and ornaments and in a very short time got the apartment in the holiday spirit. It felt very easy and homey. I didn't really miss being at home too much. I did drag Andy to a couple of masses in El Paso. We even managed to make it through the hour and half long Midnight service complete with incense and hundreds of people attending. He survived admirably - with a couple of pokes and prods from me when we were supposed to sit, stand and kneel. Shush, don't tell anyone, but it is probably the most services I've attended in the past year and half. I have been less then a regular attendee at church here in South Carolina. Christmas Day was interesting - we slept a little late, opened presents, and spent the afternoon and evening at a fellow lieutenant's home for dinner. The rest of the evening I omit at the request of Andy.
Andy's parents and his sister showed up for a few days. so we rallied the troops (haha military metaphor) for a couple outings. We visited the White Sands Missile Base to see the museum. I think my favorite was White Sands Monument. I'm glad it was a relatively cool day or else I would have roasted out there on the sand. It was very picturesque (so I took a bunch of pictures and they are up on facebook incase you hadn't seen them). Andy, Trish, and I attended the 2007 Sun Bowl game - well through the beginning of the 3rd quarter. It was a onesided game. :oP We also made a trip out to the racetrack to see some horses run. No, I did not bet on any horses, but I enjoyed watching them.
I even managed to cook a few meals. Mostly staples - chicken and mushrooms, steak and Amanda's brown rice, baked ziti, steak and mashed potatoes, and spaghetti with meatballs and sausages. We found a good butcher that has some really nice meats. Even though all I really know is stick meat in broiler, I'm ready to learn something new. Fun Christmas gift - Entertaining with the Sopranos - which has a lot of Italian recipes that I know of but didn't really know how to make.
I even had some time at home. That was pretty good too. But it also meant getting some wedding things out of the way - setting up the guys' tuxes, and a face to face meeting with the florist. I also got to go a little wedding dress scouting with Beckie who got engaged on Christmas Day (hurray!)
So, winter break recap: I had fun in El Paso, fun at home, and got no work done.
Which leads me to my current stressed out alert level : orange! Moderate to Moderate severe stress building. Watch out for abrupt conversations and the occasional meltdown.
What I plan to accomplish this year - in no particular order:
What can I say about winter break. I feel exhausted from traveling everywhere. It was wonderful to see Andy. I think this might have been one of the longest times on record we were both in the same place at the same time. The apartment he has (we will soon have) is very nice - although it may become crowded real quick when I try to get my stuff in there. I need to think of a way to minimize the amount of things I will bring with me - but that is a thought for another time.
We spent most of our family-free time - out shopping and buying necessary home goods. I almost don't want to go out shopping for quite a while. We bought ourselves a tree and ornaments and in a very short time got the apartment in the holiday spirit. It felt very easy and homey. I didn't really miss being at home too much. I did drag Andy to a couple of masses in El Paso. We even managed to make it through the hour and half long Midnight service complete with incense and hundreds of people attending. He survived admirably - with a couple of pokes and prods from me when we were supposed to sit, stand and kneel. Shush, don't tell anyone, but it is probably the most services I've attended in the past year and half. I have been less then a regular attendee at church here in South Carolina. Christmas Day was interesting - we slept a little late, opened presents, and spent the afternoon and evening at a fellow lieutenant's home for dinner. The rest of the evening I omit at the request of Andy.
Andy's parents and his sister showed up for a few days. so we rallied the troops (haha military metaphor) for a couple outings. We visited the White Sands Missile Base to see the museum. I think my favorite was White Sands Monument. I'm glad it was a relatively cool day or else I would have roasted out there on the sand. It was very picturesque (so I took a bunch of pictures and they are up on facebook incase you hadn't seen them). Andy, Trish, and I attended the 2007 Sun Bowl game - well through the beginning of the 3rd quarter. It was a onesided game. :oP We also made a trip out to the racetrack to see some horses run. No, I did not bet on any horses, but I enjoyed watching them.
I even managed to cook a few meals. Mostly staples - chicken and mushrooms, steak and Amanda's brown rice, baked ziti, steak and mashed potatoes, and spaghetti with meatballs and sausages. We found a good butcher that has some really nice meats. Even though all I really know is stick meat in broiler, I'm ready to learn something new. Fun Christmas gift - Entertaining with the Sopranos - which has a lot of Italian recipes that I know of but didn't really know how to make.
I even had some time at home. That was pretty good too. But it also meant getting some wedding things out of the way - setting up the guys' tuxes, and a face to face meeting with the florist. I also got to go a little wedding dress scouting with Beckie who got engaged on Christmas Day (hurray!)
So, winter break recap: I had fun in El Paso, fun at home, and got no work done.
Which leads me to my current stressed out alert level : orange! Moderate to Moderate severe stress building. Watch out for abrupt conversations and the occasional meltdown.
What I plan to accomplish this year - in no particular order:
- teach a class
- finish my wedding planning
- write a Master's thesis
- present said thesis and thankfully not have to defend it in front of lots of math professors
- go to a bunch of weddings! :o)
- stay physically fit
- graduate on time
- get married myself
- do taxes
- move to Texas
- go on a honeymoon?
- move to Oklahoma
- maybe find a job
- start a new knitting project
- learn some new recipes
- complete Super Paper Mario
Belated Everything to You!
It's amazing that one can go from awakening in a full house complete with puppy dog, spend 12 hours driving, 1.5 hours eating, 1 hour helping brother unpack, drive 720 miles, and have to go to bed in lonely apartment.
More useful post to come.
More useful post to come.
401
That is just how many days this entire deployment has lasted. I just got a call this evening from Andrew to say he is stateside - not in Texas but stateside nonetheless.
I am relieved - although I am not sure it has fully hit me yet.
I am relieved - although I am not sure it has fully hit me yet.
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