Numbers vs Maths

22 01 2019

I was always “good at maths.” At school, through til A Level’s it came to me easier than most other subjects, and I hugely enjoyed it – it wasn’t until university that it felt like a completely different subject that I just had no ability to do! I kinda assumed I’d just reached my limit, or I was an anomaly who just couldn’t handle the switch from working stuff out to proving stuff.

But on the way home tonight, I listened to this week’s Infinite Monkey Cage episode/podcast called “The Origin of Numbers.” During the last ten minutes or so, they said the following:

“I don’t know a single mathematician who’d say they were good at mental arithmetic.”

And it was like a revelation – I can do all the number bits, just the theory that I find hard. They talk about there being a distinction between numbers and mathematics.

They also talk about a condition called dyscalculia which they thought many mathematicians actually have, which is where you have problems with arithmetic. I feel like maybe I had the opposite to that!

So maybe, after all those years in education, I never was “good at maths”, I was good at numbers! I wonder if that explains why I am so into data, spreadsheets, processing, rather than any inclination at all to carry on in academia.

If you’re at all into maths or numbers, it’s a very interesting listen – go ahead!





Anne of Ingleside – by L M Montgomery

20 01 2019

After two years, I’ve finally finished the main part of this series of books! There are two more that follow, but their focus is on the children, no more “Anne of….”, so I sort of consider this a job done!

That said, even thought this is an “Anne of” book, the focus really is on the children – Anne and Gilbert have six children including a set of twins, all with their different escapades, and not a huge amount of time spent on Anne other than when the children take their problems to her to solve. For the most of the book, Anne has become a flawless woman with her days of escapades and learning about herself long gone – but there is a really nice moment near the end where we find she’s not perfect after all, and she struggles with something so completely relatable to us all, it’s nice to see she’s still got a realistic side to her.

Still very enjoyable, warm and fuzzy, and an easy read.

As with the previous books, this one still has some lovely one liners – here are a few of my favourites:

  • “‘Praying’s good. I lost a dime once and I prayed and I found a quarter. That’s how I know.'”
  • “‘Hasn’t the world got its face washed nice and clean?’ cried Di, on the morning sunshine returned.”
  • “‘God doesn’t make bargains, He gives… gives without asking from us in return, except love.'”
  • “‘If a minister preaches a sermon that hits home to some particular individual people always suppose he meant it for that very person,’ said Anne. ‘A hand=me-down cap is bound to fit somebody’s head, but it doesn’t follow that it was made for him.'”
  • “‘David is going to be married at last,’ said Miss Cornelia. ‘He’s been a long time making up his mind which was cheaper, marrying or hiring.'”
  • “‘The same summer will never be coming twice'”
  • “Anne knew quite well that this idea was absolutely unreasonable, but when was jealousy ever reasonable?”





Internet highlights – w/c 13th January 2019

19 01 2019

Museums fought over who have the best ducks.

Historical facts that mess up the timeline in your head.

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Internet highlights – w/c 6th January 2019

12 01 2019

Exercise bike that does your laundry.

Different profession’s euphemisms for “I don’t have a clue”.

Great ideas from hotels.

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Internet highlights – w/c 30th December 2018

5 01 2019

Train companies raise fares bang on time.

All schools to teach CPR and basic first aid.

Teachers who got the last laugh.

Brilliantly designed things.

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Theologygrams – by Rich Wyld

30 12 2018

My brother got me this for Christmas. I generally don’t consider myself intelligent enough to read books on theology, but this is practically a picture book full of graphs and diagrams, and those I can do!

Some of them are serious, but many are a mixture of humour too – three involve Doctor Who and one involves Mr T, so it’s pretty lighthearted, but still got some interesting content – seeing Paul’s missionary journeys presented as a London tube map was inspired!





Internet highlights – w/c 23rd December 2018

29 12 2018

Tonnes of tiny details from the Harry Potter films.

If board games were named accurately.

Cats in Christmas trees.

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Going Solo – by Roald Dahl

29 12 2018

Having read the school years part of Roald Dahl’s autobiography, Boy, in September, I thought I’d try and finish the other half before the year was out!

This picks up where Boy left off, Roald heads out to work for Shell in what is now Tanzania. After a short while WW2 breaks out and after some work in that country, he goes to Nairobi to enlist in the RAF. From thereon in the book follows him through training, going into war, accidents, and all sorts, all the way through to his return to England.

I learnt so much about the war by reading this, I ignorantly never really knew what went on in Africa in the war, and it really hit home just how little chance of survival there was for those who were fighting. It really seems to me to be a miracle that he survived and that we have all these incredible books he wrote – at the point of war Roald was not an author at all, I’m guessing that comes later, and I’m so glad it did!





Internet highlights – w/c 16th December 2018

22 12 2018

Top 20 Christmas Films.

George Bush Sr secretly sponsored through Compassion, and was a bit of a rascal!

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Internet highlights – w/c 9th December 2018

15 12 2018

How people would end The Simpsons.

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