Whoa

[alansmithee21]

I just realized (read: read) that i and -i are the same number. Is that why we multiply things by their compex conjugates when we square them?

I really need more social interaction. But this book is so good...

Comments

[bougival]

Um...yeah.

[alansmithee21]

I really miss you too, and not just when I'm reminded of X-Men (which is unfortunately seldom... I should do something about that). I'm sorry that we didn't really get much of a good-bye, and I hope it's not too terribly long before we can meet up again somewhere. In the meantime, we should try to chat sometime soon. Do you have AIM? I hope your minor family crisis stays minor enough and gets resolved quickly enough.

[bougival]

Can't complain about lack of social interaction if you're going to turn down perfectly good roadtrip opportunities.

Also, it's a good thing I wasn't drinking anything when I read Katie's comment because otherwise I would have spit it all over my computer from laughing.

[alansmithee21]

Can too. I had no idea what you were talking about until about 10 minutes ago when Kaitlin said that offer was still on the table, at which point I was able to ask what she was talking about. That is, I remember you mentioned something about that a while ago, but this is the first I'd heard about it since, other than that you two were planning on stopping by Ashland and maybe Eugene. In any case, it might be a bit of a stretch on my part, but I'll certainly think about it.

[bougival]

Well, pfft. She told me she'd already invited you.

[tysone]

what book was it?

[alansmithee21]

It's called "Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid" by Douglas Hofstadter. It's pretty amazing. I'm about 480 pages into it, and only two-thirds done. If you want some idea what it's about, check out http://books.google.com/books?id=aFcsnUEewLkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=g%C3%B6del,+escher,+bach&sig=Wf_1TtlMkIXUnk2mRW410V71s9Q#PRA1-PA370,M1
That is, it's about that in that it touches upon all those topics, as well as how they're related, as well as how we think about them and things in general and knowledge in general... kind of hard to explain. But if you get the chance, I thoroughly encourage you to read the first chapter or two and get your mind blown.