Wednesday, December 26, 2007

2007 Birthday/FamilyReunion/Christmas Party








Starting with the two special guests of honor - Nenna and Aunt Edie, who's birthdays are December 16th (same as Beethoven, my piano-playing savant mother will inform you) lets see if I can remember who made it to the annual family party this year.






from the Blauss clan = Wes & Joanne, Donnie & Sue & Tim & Corey & Julie & Jamie & Nikki & Joe, David & Dawn & Dana & Caileigh, Laurie & Dick & Chris Bianci, Marlene & Thom & Ian (and girlfriend) & Emily (and boyfriend) Freidrich, Debbie & Scott & Stephanie and Al "Sayce/Blauss/Ripley", Mary & Matt Edwards, Yon Hanlon
from the Howland clan = Billy & girlfriend & daughter Shelbie & grand-daughter, Eilien & Russ & Sarah & Selina Burns, Heather & Jack & Jessica Weydt
from the Tobin clan = Skip & Robbie & Travis, Billy, Tommy, Garth, Kathy & Chuck & Sarah & Cameron Fuller, various Gilson's (aunt Edies husband and family who's names I know not)
from the McClellan clan = Aunt Maria, Aunt Shirley, Joanne & Fran & Sean Coyle, Jimmy & Maureen & Brendan &Connor & Kate Daley
from the Doyle clan = Aunt Sally, Mark & two children, Chrissy & husband & children, Julie & Husband and son (again - bad with names of cousins kids, who I see once per year)
random outsider = Amanda (college friend of Corey's who also knows Wes, Laurie, Nenna and others from around town)
*** somewhere around 73-75 if my memory and math are reasonably close ***
*** just a few people short of being one for each year of Nenna's life ***
*** 5 guitars, 2 fiddles, 1 mandolin, 1 Celtic bazouki, 1 bodhran ***

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Beauty of Math!


1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...
101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.
How about ACHIEVING 101%?

What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:

If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E

11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%


And:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%


But:
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

NOW, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty
that: While Knowledge and Hard Work will get you close,
and Attitude will get you there ,
It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

Friday, December 07, 2007

I don’t sound jealous do I?

I have heard the saying that “Money attracts money” but this was overkill.

Rob – the keyboard player from the band I am no longer in – seems to have money. BIG boat ($$$), BMW ($$$), lots of pianos ($$$), takes lots of trips ($$$), etc, etc….

I emailed him yesterday – “Happy Holiday’s, how’s things going” stuff.
He replied that the band is making slow progress, but he bought a new electric spinet piano ($$$) and is playing every Friday night – decent and easy money “($$$) not that I need the money” ($$$) he says. Then he tells me that he and his girlfriend are going to Jamaica ($$$) for a vacation.

And then he remembers to tell me “Oh Yeah, I won $10,000 on a scratch ticket” ($$$$$$$$)