Lessons learned: BBQ, Math words, and Algebra (in general).
I started out this past weekend by going to the Chandler Classic Car show (pics available on my flickr here). I was with my photography club-mates, Tony and Mike and after we’d had our fill of classic cars we decided to head over to Gilbert and eat at Joe’s Real BBQ — let me cut to the chase here: AWESOME. So good! The little area where the restaurant was pretty neat too. Very small town America feel. Loved it.
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Later that night, the family elected to go out to eat at Famous Dave’s BBQ — possibly because I had unknowingly eaten at a restaurant that everyone else had been wanting to go to. I’m not sure if this speaks more to my apparently non-existent listening skills or if I’m just ignorant altogether — but I guess either way, it doesn’t really paint me in a good light so we’ll just gloss over this by showing you another picture (this one is Famous Dave’s).
As the family made that decision, I feigned horror “Oh no! More BBQ! What ever am I going to do?!?” Famous last words folks. But more on that later.
While we were waiting for our food a question had come up and now that I think of it, I’m not sure exactly *how* it had come up but here it was and we couldn’t remember the answer.
“You know how in addition you get a sum, and in subtraction you get…”
“A difference”
“Right. What’s the word for multiplication?”
And here gentle readers is where we were stuck. Of the three adults at the table, we couldn’t remember what it was (Carla’s Mom offered “quotient” for division and while it was impressive, it wasn’t helpful. At all.).
I wonder how this happens. How can something that is so commonplace at one time in your life seemingly be gone the next? I realize that we can’t remember everything we’ve ever learned. I guess some things will stick — the things you care about be they song lyrics or what she was wearing when you first met her — others, not so much. Like Algebra. But then, I’ve always had a problem – a beef, if you will – with Algebra.
I’ve never hidden my disdain for Algebra. I’ve never understood why we were forced into it in the first place. I understand that there are people out there who possibly/probably use it every day. Hell, I might even use it and not even realize it (again, not listening or just ignorant? Jury = still out.) but if I had to pin down when this “beef” started — it all comes down to one problem. I don’t remember the exact wording but it went something like:
“Bill wants to know how tall the telephone pole is. The shadow of the telephone pole is [unit of measurement goes here]. Using that, how tall is the telephone pole?”
Or some crap like that. Friggin’ Bill. Sorry if I sound bitter but, have you ever looked at a telephone pole and wondered how tall it was — so much so that you used the shadow to actually figure it out? If so, congrats. Me? I look at it and think “Wow, that’s pretty high.” AND THAT’S IT.
Oh, wait — this too: “It would suck to have that fall on you.” but that speaks more to my paranoid nature/fear of big things falling on me so, that’s a whole other Oprah.
I’ve always maintained that for the majority, all we will ever need is addition and subtraction (to a lesser degree multiplication and division) because that’s what you’ll need to balance your checkbook. Have any of you used your higher math functions in daily life? I’d be interested to hear it. I would also welcome math nerds/geeks/whatever they want to be called (how about people, fatty? Sorry. Dorks. Hee!) to tell me if I am using Algebra every day so I can be properly thankful for it. Otherwise, I’m gonna keep looking at the telephone poles and keep on not wondering how tall they are – shadows be damned.
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Um, wasn’t I in a BBQ joint just a little while ago?
We couldn’t figure out what the word was until we got home and looked it up on the ‘net. Product, in case you are wondering and/or like us and had the word escape you.
Also, that whole “you can never have too much of a good thing” thing? Lies. All of them. BBQ twice in one day — most likely not a good idea. I can attest to that. From 3AM until 6AM Sunday morning I had a lot of time to think about that very thing.
“If John eats 2 pounds of BBQ in the span of 5 hours, how many hours will he spend awake and in agony later that night?”
Hey, is that algebra?
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