As my undergraduate education was coming to a close, I decided to pursue a master's degree in mathematics on a teaching assistantship. After interviewing and applying with a few schools, I received offers from two universities.
Texas A&M offered me a pretty good offer. The University of Arkansas made an offer that was almost as good as that. The third school I was most interested in (Rice) did not make me an offer. So, basically, my choice came down to A&M or Arkansas. It was a very difficult choice.
Exacerbating the problem was the fact that my girlfriend would still be in school at Harding in Searcy, Ark. for one more year. At the time, Searcy was about 10 or 11 hours from College Station, TX and only about three hours from Fayetteville, Ark.
In my mind, the choice was 50/50. Pick one school much closer to my girlfriend or the other school with the better offer. I picked Arkansas. This led to weekend trips between Searcy and Fayetteville, a fall engagement, a May wedding, 20 years (and still counting) of marriage to my girlfriend and one beautiful daughter.
This weekend as Texas A&M and Arkansas (6:30 Saturday on ESPN2) renew their rivalry for the first time since their Southwest Conference days, GO HOGS!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
aussome football
I was a freshman in college in 1984-5. That year was the year they installed cable TV in the dorms. The women's dorms, that is. We guys had to wait until the fall of 1985 to watch cable.
College guys and cable TV seemed like a perfect partnership in 1985. ESPN was relatively new and getting established. At that time, Australian rules football was a staple in ESPN's programming. In the guys' dorms, we watched a lot of Aussie rules. It was one of my favorite sports.
Still is. Thing is, we haven't much watched Aussie rules since then. Nope, ESPN has become the world leader in sports and some of the enjoyable programming they had in the early days had to go away to make room for American football and baseball and...
Tonight, ESPN Classic will broadcast the Aussie rules championship at 11:30 CDT. I'm really looking forward to it.
It's ironic that the sport that filled so many hours back in the "classic" days of ESPN will air live tonight on ESPN's Classic channel.
College guys and cable TV seemed like a perfect partnership in 1985. ESPN was relatively new and getting established. At that time, Australian rules football was a staple in ESPN's programming. In the guys' dorms, we watched a lot of Aussie rules. It was one of my favorite sports.
Still is. Thing is, we haven't much watched Aussie rules since then. Nope, ESPN has become the world leader in sports and some of the enjoyable programming they had in the early days had to go away to make room for American football and baseball and...
Tonight, ESPN Classic will broadcast the Aussie rules championship at 11:30 CDT. I'm really looking forward to it.
It's ironic that the sport that filled so many hours back in the "classic" days of ESPN will air live tonight on ESPN's Classic channel.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
hp calculators as iPhone and iTouch apps
Did you know that hp sells their calculators as apps?
I'm not an iAnything user, but if you are, you can get the 12c, 12c Platinum and the 15c (that's the one I'd want) for your iPhone.
Just search for hewlett packard in the app store.
Thank me later.
I'm not an iAnything user, but if you are, you can get the 12c, 12c Platinum and the 15c (that's the one I'd want) for your iPhone.
Just search for hewlett packard in the app store.
Thank me later.
Monday, September 14, 2009
phinedroids and ferbots
It's amazing how having a 6-year old in the house changes your entertainment options. DVR doesn't help. The Disney Channel doesn't help very much either. What I have noticed is that I now spend an inordinate amount of time watching Phineas and Ferb.
Three months ago, I'd never even heard of Phineas and Ferb. Two months from now, we'll probably be past it. But for the moment, we watch a lot of P&F.
Now, the question is, how can the 6-year old and I get her mother (mrs. kcrazorback) to stop making us watch that show so often? She's addicted.
Three months ago, I'd never even heard of Phineas and Ferb. Two months from now, we'll probably be past it. But for the moment, we watch a lot of P&F.
Now, the question is, how can the 6-year old and I get her mother (mrs. kcrazorback) to stop making us watch that show so often? She's addicted.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
eternally optimistic
Generally speaking, I'm an optimist. I believe that if the final out of the baseball game hasn't yet been made, my team can still win--even if they are down by a bunch of runs. I believe that if the team hasn't been eliminated from playoff contention yet, they still have a chance--like the Kansas City Royals, who are 23.5 games back in the AL Central right now.
As the inevitable fall approaches, however, optimism gives way to pragmatism. In fact, I become so pragmatic that each September (or even late August), I keep a spreadsheet that forecasts when my team will be eliminated from the playoffs that year. This year, the earliest possible date that the Royals can be eliminated from playoff contention is, drumroll(?), TODAY. In fact, if Detroit, Minnesota and Chicago all win their respective games, the Royals will be done. The most likely date of elimination is tomorrow (09/09/09). Regardless, my pragmatism forces me to accept the outcome and defeats my optimism today. Yes, you can say I was stupid for sticking with the team to the very end.
The worst part is now we have to start rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs. As baseball season turns into football season, my pragmatism becomes depression. I am already longing for baseball spring training when I can be optimistic again.
Wait a second, if Detroit can lose all of their remaining games except one to Minnesota and then Minnesota can lose all of their remaining games except five to Chicago and then Chicago loses all of their remaining games and, of course, Cleveland would have to lose almost all of their remaining games, the Royals could still win the division. Optimism springs eternal!!! (for a few hours)
As the inevitable fall approaches, however, optimism gives way to pragmatism. In fact, I become so pragmatic that each September (or even late August), I keep a spreadsheet that forecasts when my team will be eliminated from the playoffs that year. This year, the earliest possible date that the Royals can be eliminated from playoff contention is, drumroll(?), TODAY. In fact, if Detroit, Minnesota and Chicago all win their respective games, the Royals will be done. The most likely date of elimination is tomorrow (09/09/09). Regardless, my pragmatism forces me to accept the outcome and defeats my optimism today. Yes, you can say I was stupid for sticking with the team to the very end.
The worst part is now we have to start rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs. As baseball season turns into football season, my pragmatism becomes depression. I am already longing for baseball spring training when I can be optimistic again.
Wait a second, if Detroit can lose all of their remaining games except one to Minnesota and then Minnesota can lose all of their remaining games except five to Chicago and then Chicago loses all of their remaining games and, of course, Cleveland would have to lose almost all of their remaining games, the Royals could still win the division. Optimism springs eternal!!! (for a few hours)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
needing mercy, showing mercy
I recently had an interesting conversation with someone from my church. Before I had said much more than "Hi," he put up a defensive wall. As I laid the foundation for what I would ask him, he argued with me. When I asked him for his help, he turned me down.
Near the beginning of that conversation, I found myself also defending my statements. But rather than continue to argue (my typical response), I picked up on the fact that something else was going on with this person and I changed my tactics to simply being nice and allowing for future conversations.
Something else was going on. I still don't know what. But I have realized that Mr. X does not oppose me or the work we are doing. Satan does oppose me and the work we're doing.
We must resist Satan with full force. We must also be gracious and show mercy to each other with full force. It's what Christ modeled for us (no one ever before of since or into eternity has or will show mercy with as much force as He did at the cross). It's what I need.
Near the beginning of that conversation, I found myself also defending my statements. But rather than continue to argue (my typical response), I picked up on the fact that something else was going on with this person and I changed my tactics to simply being nice and allowing for future conversations.
Something else was going on. I still don't know what. But I have realized that Mr. X does not oppose me or the work we are doing. Satan does oppose me and the work we're doing.
We must resist Satan with full force. We must also be gracious and show mercy to each other with full force. It's what Christ modeled for us (no one ever before of since or into eternity has or will show mercy with as much force as He did at the cross). It's what I need.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
first day of first grade
The start of school is a magical time.
Children, who have been conditioned for three months to do whatever they want to do, are being returned to a disciplined academic environment.
Kcrazorback daughter, who really loves school, is not happy about this at all. Her classmates are not happy about this at all. Her mother and I are thrilled.
This morning, as I dropped her off at school, we yelled at the poor kindergarten parents (they're the ones holding up the dropoff traffic) to get a move on, "turn your car already."
I've realized that the 1st graders have a BMOC factor. They were in the school last year for kindergarten. They know their way around. They know each other and the teachers (for the most part). They are bigger than a whole bunch of the new students in the school. They know what not to eat in the cafeteria. They're savvy. They're a little suprised by the lack of play centers in the classroom (compared to K-garten) but they know a boatload of potty jokes and can discuss what's going on with the big-kid Disney TV. They are in their element.
From the 1st day: "All we did was go over the rules and color some sheets." Yeah, somehow, I think you're holding something back from dear old dad. Perhaps, they know what not to tell Mom and Dad about as well.
Children, who have been conditioned for three months to do whatever they want to do, are being returned to a disciplined academic environment.
Kcrazorback daughter, who really loves school, is not happy about this at all. Her classmates are not happy about this at all. Her mother and I are thrilled.
This morning, as I dropped her off at school, we yelled at the poor kindergarten parents (they're the ones holding up the dropoff traffic) to get a move on, "turn your car already."
I've realized that the 1st graders have a BMOC factor. They were in the school last year for kindergarten. They know their way around. They know each other and the teachers (for the most part). They are bigger than a whole bunch of the new students in the school. They know what not to eat in the cafeteria. They're savvy. They're a little suprised by the lack of play centers in the classroom (compared to K-garten) but they know a boatload of potty jokes and can discuss what's going on with the big-kid Disney TV. They are in their element.
From the 1st day: "All we did was go over the rules and color some sheets." Yeah, somehow, I think you're holding something back from dear old dad. Perhaps, they know what not to tell Mom and Dad about as well.
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