Fun Math Finding

For some reason, as Alison was reading TIME in bed last night, I thought about multiplication. I multiplied 10 x 10 and got 100. Then I multiplied 9 x 11 and got 99.

Hmmm...does that work for every number?
3 * 3 = 9; 2 * 4 = 8.
38 * 38 = 1444; 37 * 39 = 1443.
0 * 0 = 0; -1 * 1 = -1.
-1 * -1 = 1; -2 * 0 = 0.

Sweet! (Well, I think so)

This means that:
x*x = ( (x+1)*(x-1) ) + 1

In other words: If you take a number and multiply it by itself, it will always be one more than the number minus one times the number plus 1.

Invisible Children

I know its been a while since I've posted. I'm finally on Spring Break and so excited! There is so much I could talk about. I recently watched Crash, which brought up many racial issues. It makes you seriously question (if you haven't already) whether or not racism is dead. (Obvious answer: no.) What makes it good though is that the movie makes you think about the little ways you might show racism in everyday life. I can't recommend the movie "officially" on account of language, but it was a good watch.

Now to other important matters. On Thursday, I had the privilege(?) of watching the movie Invisible Children. It highlights a major problem going on in the Sudan and Uganda.

After 17 years of war in the Sudan, the people have become weary of the fight. Consequently, people are no longer joining the rebel group trying to take down the government. Because of this, the rebel army has gone into Uganda and abducted children ages 5-12. The rebels kill some of the children, mame others, and force the rest to begin killing people themselves. The children become brainwashed into anger, fear, and a life of killing.

Because of the fear of abduction, thousands of children from the small towns and tribes walk miles into the cities each night so that they can find safety and shelter. After their sleep, they walk home the next morning to continue life.

I can't describe the sickening feeling I had after seeing the terrible injustice that is taking place. There are ways to help, which are listed on the web site. I've posted the movie trailer too in case you want to watch.

Some great guitar & Uke playing

I am a guitar player, and enjoy any good guitar playing...especially when they can play theme songs.

The Simpsons Theme Song - from videosift.com & "alowicious"


Sweet Uke Playing - from videosift.com & "crayfish" & Marko


Impressive!

Broken Blog

My apologies to all who could not get to my blog in the past few days. I guess something wasn't working. (On Blogger's end or mine, I don't know.) But for the inconvenience, I will give you each a dime if you send me a self addressed envelope explaining how disappointed you were that my blog was down.

Aaron

Interesting Fact O' The Day

Happy Saint Patrick's Day everybody.

Just a quick fact for ya. Thanks, Justin.

Regardless and Irregardless mean the same thing. Go look it up!

Done

Okay, so the book didn't take that long to read. Between staying up late one night, and using one of my 'cuts' the next day at school, I finished The DaVinci Code. I got to say. I enjoy fiction. Its been years since my last fiction. Not bad.

Besides obvious heresy (of which I've pretty much heard before), it was a great book...very suspensful. On the recommendation of a few, I might read his other book, Angels and Demons. But definitely not until the school term is over.

On a different note. It was March 9 yesterday, and it snowed! It snowed 2 inches up at my house. I was so excited that I forgot to bring one of my books with me yesterday! There's nothing better than watching snow fall, which I got to do all day. I also smiled at youth group as the mid schoolers erupted with cheers of snow when the night was over.

New Post

Okay, I'll post again, but only because Jessica asked. ;)

Its been a busy fun week(end). On top of the usual schoolwork, Friday night, the Ubels came over for dinner and a movie. My wife made pot roast...mmm...and I made cookies. We watched Walk the Line which makes me want to watch it again with guitar in hand. We had a great night.

Saturday brought Alison's college roomates into town. We shared meals and the gals went shopping. Good times.

I finally got to do something I haven't done since December. Go to Starbucks and read a book. I just finished reading The Search to Belong by Joseph Myers (it's on my sidebar). He has some wonderful things to say about relationships and small groups.

He believes that we put way too much emphasis on small groups, making them the only way...the ultamite way to connect within the body of Christ. He proposes that we need to have relationships in harmony in 4 different "spaces":

• Public - This space is where something common brings us together, such as a sports team.
• Social - This space is where we gather together and know each other just a bit more than aquantences, we know each other, but don't share a lot of personal details.
• Personal - This space are the people that we share most of our lives with. They are "close" friends.
• Intimate - This doesn't mean just physically intimate. This means that we share "naked" raw, thoughts, feelings, (sometimes physical, i.e. your spouse) and are unashamed.

His view of a healthy person is someone that approxamatly has 8 Public to 4 Social to 2 Personal to 1 Intimate relationship.

He says that it is ridiculous that we try to move ourselves and everybody else into personal relationships, when we need many social and public relationships to be healthy, and sense belonging.

Anyway...it was a good read. If you lead small groups, or are interested in one man's view of relational studies, read this book.

Next up...Fiction. I haven't read fiction in over 5 years. I'm going to read The Davinci Code, and yes, I still believe that Jesus is God. I'll let you know what I think of that one when I'm done. (which will be another year at the rate I'm going!)

So glad for school...so glad for it to be over

I'm closing in on the end of school for me. Its been a 7 year process, changing majors, changing schools, and all the while growing in maturity (hopefully). I must say that I am thankful for the opportunity to incur debt so that I can go to school and learn the things I do. I imagine that one day, I'll go back at least to audit courses. I love to learn!

On the other hand, I can't wait to be done! Oh how nice it will be to sit down and read a book because I want to do so, and not because it is required reading. I don't even know what I will do when I get home from work. Clean the house? Create web sites? Read books and books and books? Actually hang out with my friends and family?

Wow! What a day it will be!