The Unplanned Life

Camille here, confessing: I'm the world's worst planner. Whether it's what to wear, where to go, what to write, whom to call. Or what to learn.

It's an unplanned life. Not necessarily recommended. I greatly admire those who can plan for the future, and pull it off. 

I have no idea what I'll learn in the future, but I can tell you 10 things I learned this week.

1. A joke. A hammer walks into a bar and introduces his 2 friends:  this is the saw, and you know the drill.

2. If you call AT&T after hours, they will let you give all your information and select from a vast multi-layered menu before telling you to please call during business hours.

3. A new word: gravid. My sister-in-law, a microbiologist, referred to her daughter, also a microbiologist, as "gravid." Apparently, that's lab talk for pregnant.

4. The NBA's Dampier's first name is Erick (from the NYTimes crossword puzzle, 6/24/12).

5. n-e converters rely on secondary electron generation in a CsI photocathode by interaction of a recoil p or d generated in an inelastic collision between the incident n and nuclei. (A tidbit from my day job.)

6. Where Istanbul is (courtesy of Joseph Kanon, in his new book, Istanbul Passage,  a terrific spy story.)

7. I can still laugh at a Cheers episode from the '80s.

8. 56 people signed the Declaration of Independence. (OK, I learned that in 5^th grade, but I re-learned it getting ready for my Fourth of July party.)

9. Rosa Parks was an introvert. (This from the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, for discussion at my next nonfiction group meeting.)

10. If you have Sees scotchmallows in your freezer, you don't have to thaw them first. Just pop in your mouth.

oops, guess I over-planned.

 

11. A cool math trick. Amaze your friends at your next party!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwW3pUS0oNs

 

 

Comments

[Anne Gilbertson]

Good to know about the scotchmallows (love those things) and unfortunately works with many types of candies and cookies. And there's always the microwave.

[Vinnie]

Enjoyed this, Camille! What a fun topic you Lady Killers chose. I was visiting my mom in South Dakota last week and ending up trying a math test for fourth graders that was sitting on her table. I consider myself skilled at math, but that thing was challenging!

[Camille Minichino]

Thanks for joining in, Anne and Vinnie.
I'm always looking for more tips, about math or chocolate!

[Staci]

I love Cheers! It's always good for a laugh and much funnier than dealing with customer support phone systems. Sounds like quite the educational week for you!

[Susan Shea]

You never stop learning, do you Camille?! I confess I don't like the sound of that inelastic collision with the nuclei, though. I hope you weren't in the same room.

[Ann]

Wow! And the week's not even half over yet! :-D I shall keep those Scotchmallows in mind. Or in mouth. Or something.
And thanks for the tidbit on inelastic collisions! I just started The Expats (another spy novel), but will put the Kanon on my TBR list...

[Priscilla]

Camille, you "don't plan" better than anyone. This was a great list. Yes, you had me howling over #1 but who else could have such a #5. Kanon's book is on hold at the library. (I am #95). As for "Quiet", I hope more people in business and govt will read it.

[Michael A. Black]

Okay, Camille, a hammer walks into the bar and --- Wait a minute! Is this the same hammer that keeps smacking my fingers everytime I try to get something nailed? He sounds like a smart aleck.

[Michael A. Black]

Okay, Camille, a hammer walks into the bar and --- Wait a minute! Is this the same hammer that keeps smacking my fingers everytime I try to get something nailed? He sounds like a smart aleck.