Lost In Space

You know, the more I study linear algebra, the more fascinated I get by it. Sure, it's a stupidly hard subject, but I find myself enjoying math in a way which I haven't done since the start of this education.

I've gone through quite a few types of space - P-space, R-space, M-space, et cetera; and I just had an epiphany reading the very last chapter of the course. Again, I love how this course book is built - you go "huh?" for the most part of it and then it ties everything up so neatly all of a sudden.

Apparently, the book ends on, there is only need for one space of every given dimension. Meaning, there is only need for one three-dimensional space, there is only one two-dimensional space, and so on and so forth. Essentially, there exists a "vanilla"-space, in which all kinds of mathemathical phenomena can be described.

So, for example, all equations of the form a+bx+cx^2=0 exist in Vanilla Three. So do all three-dimensional vectors, as do all two-dimensional planes. Every straight line can be described in Vanilla Three. In short, pretty much everything that can be described with three or fewer distinct variables exists in Vanilla Three, if I've read the course book right.

And, to make this even more powerful - each Vanilla space can be described in a Vanilla space of greater dimension. Vanilla Two is nested in Vanilla Three. Vanilla Four contains both of them. As far as I can tell, what I've just learned is a tool for describing any mathemathical object that I've ever heard of.

This is pretty awesome.

A Quote

"Life is a wanting of things, Raimundito. You must always be wanting things in life. You will want frijoles, you will want water, you will desire women, you will desire sleep; most especially sleep. You will want a burro, you will want a new roof on your house, you will want fine shoes and again, you will want sleep. You will want rain, you will want jungle fruits, you will want good meat; you will, once more, desire sleep. You will seek a horse, you will seek children, you will seek the jewels in the great shining stores on the avenida and, ah yes, remember? You will lastly seek sleep.

Remember, Raimundo, you will want things. Life is this wanting. You will want things until you no longer want them, and then you will want sleep."

--Ray Bradbury

Four Thoughts

I haven't written here for a while now, and I have a lot to speak of, which I guess I could speak in person, but I shall write it down. For shits and giggles, so to speak.

First thought that comes to mind today, is the following:

Why is the agreement that virtually all men watch porn, such a silent agreement? Whenever I've talked about it with my male friends, it all bogs down to implying "I have, indeed, at some point, looked at porn on the Internet." Everyone knows everyone does it, so why is it never talked about? Why do we still only speak of it in innuendo, when it comes to our own pornographic habits?

(on a sidenote - do all women also watch or read porn, and just talk about it even less? somehow i doubt that is the case, but i don't know why)

Second thought that comes to mind:

The Iceye wrote about "What do people think when they see me?" - a question which made me think of my situation in school. For some hidden motive I cannot understand myself, I have tried very hard to make myself seem very uninteresting whenever I am in school. None of my usual frivolous motions, none of my bizarre behaviour; I really make an effort to seem as boring as is humanly possible. I cannot help but wonder why I have this defense mechanism; why would I want to make myself seem a lesser man in the eyes of others?

Third thought that comes to mind:

That I am insane, self-deceptive, and naive when I say the following: I genuinely believe that my imagination takes me further than any plane ticket. I hold an honest belief that a novel or a story or a roleplaying session can be a more genuine and fantastic experience than a physical journey; that reading about Egypt is more of an experience than Egypt itself, provided the book is good enough.

Is this me deceiving myself out of fear? Is it just a pathetic wish for control, for being able to see the exotic in the warm, comforting light of the familiar? Am I a creative genius full of imagination, or just a Nowhere Man in my Nowhere Land, afraid to step outside?

Fourth thought that comes to mind:

I wrote this down, and then I erased it again. Suffice to say, it concerns what the Nightflyer wrote about change, and that I would love to share this thought with you - yet I dare not put it in print. Perhaps we can talk about it.

These are my Four Thoughts for this night. Tomorrow, we shall play Hunter at Da-Ryun's apartment. On Sunday, I shall study and catch up on my combinatorics.

Right now, I shall look at pictures of naked women for a while.

(SHOCK ENDING)