To be a chalk box kid

Why is elementary education associated with apples in the United States (of A)? Does it have anything to do with "A is for 'apple.' B is for 'banana.' C is for 'cat.'" and so on?

Anyhow, school is starting tomorrow, and at the moment I have too many thoughts swimming around in my head to unload on this piece of virtual space. I would like chalk, to be a chalk box kid.

6/π²

Have you ever wondered the probability that two random integers are relatively prime? The answer's in this post's title. I got it from this article, which made me miss living in Silicon Valley. There's a certain geek culture here that you can't get even @ H. Now, I haven't tried searching it out at MIT... jk.

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AL says i don't post enough in here. that's true, so here's a post, har. A very unedited and therefore unscripted post. Not all of the thoughts going on in this noggin at the moment are here, but there are some, and they are those that can lead to relevant tangents.

--work; we tend to think of it as either of two extremes: fulfillment, or paying the bills

--career vs. vocation; vocare = calling; work is part of our calling

--Genesis 2 when work first mentioned; work predates the Fall; God has given us work ordained by Him

--Colossians 3:23 work not necessarily bad; unto the Lord

--Ecclesiastes 3:13; Isaiah prophecy says that in Heaven we will have work

--calling is the Great Commission to be salt and light, to be sons and daughters of God, and ultimate followers of Christ

--life here is in preparation for a greater eternity

--we work for a glimpse of our heavenly home

--"Go out into the nations and make disciples..." Matt 28

--work as providing value, and accomplishing His greater purpose

^ those were notes from last summer when Pastor Eugene at home gave a talk

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and this was from a couple of weeks ago --

today on the train, on the way home, was sitting by two young men, probably in their mid-20s, who seemed to work in finance. one was very charismatic, and apparently had an incredible work ethic, but he was extremely envious of his more stable, solid friend for having a passion. the redhead wished that he had something he could commit his work ethic to, 'cause otherwise he said it was like steering a train, but in what direction? and he said that money wasn't an issue, b/c he was working to support a family, but working all these hours, how could he meet someone to start a family? and he wanted someone "of caliber," not just random girls he met at bars after work. it was an interesting conversation, and i kind of wanted to jump in to ask him about his obsession with passion and purpose, because i sometimes feel the same way. that i am too obsessed with purpose, that i am purposed-oriented versus God-oriented. which is bad. and CH today was saying not to put your life's happiness in your work -- "I've learned not to invest my personal pleasure in life on my work, or at least not now."

CT's email abt thinking of taking time from school. immediately thought of RK. and how if i took time off, then what would that make her feel? --> :(  'cause i know i'd feel the same if she left. & i thought of how ML and RK and I should just all take time off and discover God and the world and ourselves. hah. but talking it out w/ VL two weekends ago, i realized that doing so would probably be an escapist's attempt at delivering God an irrational and disrespectful ultimatum, to give me the knowledge of my "life's purpose" in one swoop, something that can't be that easily dished out anyway.

i'm too selfish, and indecisive about things that shouldn't matter so much. and those matters don't mean as much as i deem them to, except i take a microscopic view and enlarge things until nothing else exists in my worldview. =\ no-good.

I miss intellectual conversations from high school. i.e. witty banter w/ BH and NN, and the occasional good conversation w/ AH (whom i know will see this, har). BH said, some years ago, "One of the primary facilitators of social problems (and this is indeed one) is the reluctance people (both participants and observers) seem to have of stating the truth." to me a few years ago. i miss him. he also wrote (i'm paraphrasing here), "Though it has its place, courtesy is overrated and may get in the way of communication at times." i agree.