Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The Real Einstein

Today was our seminar on Lord of the Flies. While I love seminars, it's annoying when I'm on the outer circle and can't say anything. There were certain topics I wanted to talk about that our circle never got to when we were on the inside. There was a "hot seat," but my entire circle used it too much and the hot seat went out of commission for awhile because the people who were supposed to be talking didn't have a chance to get a word in.
When they got to talking about how things would have been different if there were girls on the island and how when reading you forget that they're all under twelve, I wanted to abandon Lord of the Flies right then and there and move on to discussing Ender's Game. But only two people in that circle had read it (I asked), so that discussion went nowhere.
My other problem with seminars is that I think out my point, but then when I'm actually saying it I leave out important bits and it comes across entirely differently than I intended. This is why I loved the forum-based discussions we had on Blackboard last year. It's why I prefer blogging to vlogging.


Today's also "Einstein Day," but since hardly anyone knows much about what Einstein actually did, it turned into more of a "Nerd Day." I heard that they only called it "Einstein Day" because "Nerd Day" would have been offensive. I actually find "Einstein" more offensive, because everyone's representing false interpretations of him. Most people are wearing glasses with tape on them. I have a number of problems with this.
1. Einstein didn't wear glasses, except maybe for reading. I'm not sure.
2. Not all nerds wear glasses.
3. Those of us who do often get contacts.
4. People with glasses TAKE CARE OF THEM. We never allow them to get to the point where tape is needed.

Someone brought a toy lightsaber. Someone wore a shirt with Pi on it. These, while nice things to do, aren't related to Einstein.
Some people have shirts from a nearby planetarium with Einstein's head made out of stars with a quote from him. These are very cool. I wish I had one. Unfortunately, I don't, so I turned an old shirt of mine inside out and wrote on it "Space- it's just a matter of Time." That actually is related to Einstein's work.

Also, my Facebook status now reads "If only Einstein had lived another 20 years, he would  have discovered that the Unified Theory of Everything is quite simple: 42." Ha. Geek humor.

4 comments:

  1. Is there a post where you explain the seminar format? It all sounds interesting, cool, and more than a little opaque. Much like Calvinball, I'm sure playing is fun, but I wouldn't know whether to zig or snorkel. If there isn't an explanatory post, what are hotseats, and circles? Am I correct in inferring that this course is upon the Internets?

    Anywho, not all nerds take care of their glasses. I'm not saying mine NEED duct tape, but were I to apply some, my glasses might present somewhat less of a danger to myself.

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  2. No, there isn't. Sorry. I'll write that now.

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  3. ...for? Is there something I'm missing in that post?

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