snow day

[boxofdelights]

Snow! and lots of it! PSD schools were closed today and yesterday. Unfortunately, CSU didn't close until the afternoon, so I had to drive Nixie to her math class. There was a quiz, and Nixie isn't doing well enough to skip it.

The math class -- it's basically the second half of Thomas's Calculus -- is surprisingly difficult. Not because of the material. After the lecture on partial differentials Nixie said she had paid attention, but still didn't understand what they were. So I got a vase and a marker, and drew parallel lines on the vase from base to lip. "This is y=0. y=1. y=2." Then I took a toothpick and surfed it up and down one of the lines. "The partial differential with respect to x gives us information about how x changes while we hold y constant." I put down the toothpick, picked up the marker, and started drawing circles around the vase. "This is x=0."

"Okay, I get it," said Nixie. She glared at how obvious it was. "She's such a bad teacher!"

"No," I said, "I'm such a good one." But I think Nixie is right. Her teacher is really not good at teaching.


About the house: I thought I could have at least a virtual housewarming party this weekend, but no. The plasterer will probably be done sometime next week, and then I can move in. This weekend, I am using Samhain's energy to finish things at this house.

Comments

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

That's a great example. Maybe both statements are true, Nixie's and yours.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

I was about to say the same thing.

[matthewwdaly.livejournal.com]

I don't envy calculus teachers. Some are better than others, but if you can teach to an auditorium full of students so that none of them need any one-on-one guidance ever, you're a superstar.

I can't believe they're still teaching from Thomas. I still have the sixth edition on my bookshelf, and he'd been going for thirty-five years at that point.

[loligo.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday!

[lcohen]

hey, happy birthday!

(i don't understand a word of calculus, alas.)

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

you are smrt.

i have no idea what you're getting at with the vase, though.

[jinian.livejournal.com]

Oh, good idea on the old-house wrap-up. My general exam is Nov 16, but maybe I can visit the new place after that!

[boxofdelights]

I would like that. Will this be your first trip to Colorado? Do you want to ski? And, I just realized, I don't know how you feel about dogs. I have two big ones, you know. They are both very good and gentle, but they're still dogs.

[darius.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday!

I was surprised they're still using Thomas, too. I liked my college textbook better (Apostol).

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

Though Nixie may be unlucky in her calc instructor, she's very lucky in you, and not just for the maths.