Go figure

[clevermanka]

My life:


Properly explained, however, I understand math theories. I took a class at KU with Saul Stahl that was titled something like "Theories of Mathematics" where we studied game theory, statistics, etc., and we got to use calculators. I earned an A--my first A in a math class since (I shit you not) first grade.

My math difficulties stemmed from a variety of issues. My parents never played any math games with me (like flash card things), although my mom read to me, like all the time. I have honest-to-god issues with dyscalculia (please, when you leave me your phone number, speak slowly). In grade school, I frequently finished every other subject early and would occupy myself by reading while everyone else was still working--and none of my teachers (seriously, none of them) ever called me out or tapped me on the shoulder to interrupt my reading when the next lesson began. As a result, I missed out on probably a third of all my math classes for five years. Not an exaggeration.

So. Math. Comic. Relevant to my life. Kudos to the parents and teachers who fight for balance in a child's education.

My brain likes rote memorization, application of learned techniques, and discussions (but not arguments) about textual analysis. In addition, I am not an independent learner. Book learning: not my bag. I need to be shown or told things in person, preferably in a one-on-one environment. When shown how to do something (properly hit a drum, attach a set-in sleeve), I'm a quick study. But when I try to learn something on my own, I frequently give up before the attempt ends in tears and frustration. Also, discussing things makes them stick in my brain (I don't think this is uncommon). It's why I want to form a local horror reading group of people who can talk about books with literary critical analysis/theory intent--not just discussions about how much we liked it.

I'm playing around with a major life-goal-change thingy, and it's important for me to consider (which means first understand and analyze) how my brain works. What it likes best, and what bores it. What can keep it pleasantly stimulated and what it finds tedious. So, thinky-thinky time about how I think. This in itself is a rather abstract concept, something at which I do not excel, and that makes it difficult and annoying. But I need to change something about how I'm living my life, and I think it needs to be big.

Comments

[shrijani.livejournal.com]

You inspire me.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I provide entertaining inspiration (http://clevermanka.tumblr.com/post/14215443601/original-found-via-cubiclerefugee-and-my-own), I hope.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to share horror books and find out about new (or classic) horror to read, but literary analysis makes my brain freeze and my teeth itch. I was horrible at making book reports for that reason in grade school, and yet I had to do a LOT of them because I was so advanced in reading that most of my learning WAS independent study.

On totally other subject: I saw the big ass Performance Exhause box yesterday.. squeeee!

[djangodurango.livejournal.com]

Please, when you leave me your phone number, speak slowly.

This is a little tangential, but while I do not have dyscalculia, it really chaps my ass when people don't have telephone number rhythm (or relatedly credit card number rhythm (or when they have American Express cards)). When one gives out a telephone number, the beats should be the first three numbers, the next three, then two, then the last two. And for fuck's sake, don't use numbers like sixteen or twenty-three. Each number should be individual, so as to keep that rhythm and clear to the person you're speaking to.

It also throws me off when people say O instead of zero. O is not a number.

I have a lot of a feelings about this.

Also, I haven't made an A in math, like, ever. I'm decent at geometry, but everything else? Nope. Part of the reason I'm going for a technical certificate is that I need not take basic courses (like algebra) to get my piece of paper.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

literary analysis makes my brain freeze and my teeth itch

Sadness.

I saw the big ass Performance Exhause box yesterday

LOL! It was a monster, wasn't it? I tried to get it in the house, but no way. Even mckitterick struggled a little bit with it. I'll be sad to lose the glasspacks, but I've been assured that this system will be just as loud. =D

Also, I really need to make an icon for the Chevelle.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I admit to saying "oh" instead of "zero" when giving a string of numbers. =/ Sorry.

How great would it have been if we'd been able to keep word exchanges for our phone numbers (http://ourwebhome.com/TENP/TENproject.html)?

[djangodurango.livejournal.com]

O is at least easier to recover from, such that I don't have to completely stop and ask for the whole thing again, because it's less than two syllables and doesn't throw off the rhythm.

While I love ye olde shit, I don't think so because having to spell things to people is even worse because so many of the letters sound so similar.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

having to spell things to people is even worse

True. I continually catch myself living in a fairytale universe where people can actually spell.

I have a lot of a feelings about this.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Me too! Precision is IMPORTANT.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Yes, you must! I love love love the exhaust tunes on RSOL. rumblyrumblyrumblyrumbly pum pum pum pum pupumpum

and I know.. I've gotten excited and tried to join book clubs and then I find myself just annoyed because I'm no good at dissecting a story and analyzing it for character motivation or whatever it is that you do in those groups.
Oh well, OTOH, toss me something to research and my brain will chase it down and delightedly return to you with the answer and my tail a-wagging.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the rhythm of numbers! Social security numbers and addresses, too.

Another reason to be grateful I know the NATO phonetic alphabet (http://www.osric.com/chris/phonetic.html).

[jimmy-hollaman.livejournal.com]

Math and me never got along. I took a IQ type test for school once. I scored 115 on it. Average IQ for this test was 90, so i was smart. But this was not including math and spelling. When they added that stuff... well lets say i didn't move far from the 115 i had got. (it moved 2 places, so i really was bad at both math and spelling) I still strugle to this day with both math and spelling.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

toss me something to research and my brain will chase it down and delightedly return to you with the answer and my tail a-wagging.

When the time comes, you know I'll take you up on that.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Ya know, I've been meaning to memorize that for ages.

MAKING FLASHCARDS NAO.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

For me, spelling is entirely based on memorization--something at which I excel--and early exposure to reading. If I'd learned spelling through phonics (or some other reason-based based method), I'd have been fucked.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Strangely, the ones I forget the most are November (with my birthdate? duh), Uniform, and Romeo.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I hate to jinx myself, but I can already see myself having problems with Golf. I mean WTF--GOLF? You can tell so much about the guys who made this up, just from that one thing.

Strange sentiment for an atheist, I know, but...

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

George is easier to remember

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

haha.. no kidding. It wasn't always thus (http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/a/alphabet.htm).

And for fun... the female version (http://www.chickchatradio.com/index.php/fun/nato_alphabet/). Some of it is damned silly, I mean "undies" and "maribou"?

Re: George is easier to remember

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Why did they change some of them? Hypo is awesome. So is Queen. And replacing Queen with Quebec and removing Zed makes me LOL. Seems like someone had conflicting feelings about Canada. .

Re: George is easier to remember

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Haha, I dunno about that, Canada was always in NATO, so it makes no sense really.
Maybe it's like shouting "Order" in a meeting or restaurant, it cuts through static. Quebec has a more distinct sound with the repeating qu/k sound than does Queen, which sort of fades off and could be mistaken for other words like keen or clean.

Re: George is easier to remember

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Look at you being all rational and shit. =D

Re: George is easier to remember

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

[nottygypsy.livejournal.com]

If I'd learned spelling through phonics (or some other reason-based based method), I'd have been fucked.

That might explain my terrible spelling. I also speak slowly, use zero and for godsake don't say sixteen ten!

[stuology.livejournal.com]

I hate writing. And analyzing writing. I almost stated that "I suck at it," but then I thought back and my only B in an English class was one I took at KU, so I guess I was adequate for public, state based education. I never write what is in my brain. It becomes a long, drawn-out, torturous process that leaves me feeling angry and worn out. I think I only got good grades when it came to writing because I would actually go to class, pay attention and write a mostly grammatically regurgitation of class discussions. If I was ever graded on whether I said anything that was my own thought, forget it.

You know my thoughts on math. :)

The only issue I have with my math education came after my mother moved out of the country. While sorting through all the stuff she left me, I discovered a folder with the results of about every standardized test I took for my pre-college education. The math scores were all in the 90 - 99th percentile. And I thought, "why didn't anybody give me anything to do other than the stuff everybody else was doing?" I mean, for reals. Maybe I would have been better at math.

[stuology.livejournal.com]

Oh, and my hardest math class was taken from Saul Stahl. I still have the manuscript too. Yes, manuscript. We took the class with the manuscript for a text book he was writing. It was a good class, but difficult.

[jimmy-hollaman.livejournal.com]

Sadly for me, my memory sucked. I read a lot when i was younger. But when it come to spelling (and sadly grammar) I was better at hitting my head against the wall. I think part of my problem was also a mild form of dyslexia. I can write things and it will look correct but it is far from it. Thankfully, i have a great editor for my writing for the anthologys i am in.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

The math scores were all in the 90 - 99th percentile. And I thought, "why didn't anybody give me anything to do other than the stuff everybody else was doing?" I mean, for reals.

That's tragic.

It makes me happy to see how you encourage Ada's math stuff.

It becomes a long, drawn-out, torturous process that leaves me feeling angry and worn out.

This is how I feel about anything involving numbers more complicated than figuring a restaurant tip.

[siro-gravity.livejournal.com]

Hi over there.
what a great post! I think about learning styles a lot...I have to, really. Last quarter I had this woman in my class who had great shots, but her prints sucked. About mid-quarter she asked me if I could go into the darkroom with her and just show her what I meant. She needed to see it first hand, one on one. It's not how I learn, but I understood she needed that method for it to sink in. But she was a quick study, everything clicked and she totally aced the class.

I learn by doing and from books. I never learn squat when a lesson is only spoken. Math: I LOOOOVE IT!! Failed it throughout my entire school experience. (actually, I think I got sympathy D's from several instructors)

Then eventually taught it to MYSELF...from a book filled with proofs.

anyhow, I really enjoyed this post. And I wonder what you will change about your life, but to me, means that you perhaps went from the "are you happy" circle to the "no" circle. Funny, cuz I always think of you as a happy person.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

What a cool comment! Thanks for chiming in with your learning style. And kudos to you for being open and sympathetic to someone else's learning style.

The life stuff I'm changing is pretty major, but it doesn't really have anything to do with me as a person. I am a happy person--happy being me. But there are a lot of things about my external life that I can make better and more fulfilling. That's what I aim to do.