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I have to say, I haven’t written anything for a little bit because, and let’s be honest here (chuckle…), I haven’t really had a lot of time. This is no excuse, I know, and I will try to be better at typing my thoughts for all to see. As I noted, I’ve been pretty busy lately. I had the marvelous opportunity to take the most important test that I’ve taken up to this point in my life. The topic: probability and mathematical statistics. The test: six questions and four hours. Needless to say, it was pretty intense. So I’ve taken the past couple of weeks to study and prepare for that, and now I’m playing catch up with everything else I have to do. Some (not all) of these are my research, grading homework for an upper division stats class, and of course the three (not so easy) classes that I’m taking this semester. But like I said before, it’s no excuse.
Just chillin' at my desk in my office
I guess I feel, from reading all of my friends’ blogs, which are all deep and insightful, that I need to come up with something good to write about before I write anything. I learned many things from my mom, and one of those is that if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all. OK, she really didn’t teach me that, and anyone who knows me can argue that I say many stupid things…which leads me to today’s topic. Disclaimer: if you are expecting anything deep or insightful (or remotely good), feel free to turn back now as you will not find it here. Disclaimer 2: if you get nauseous or sick from hearing statistics talk, etc. than I will not be offended if you redirect to a better blog, say HaleStorm or Untitled Statements. These two blogs will fill your Jones for a good blog.
Now having disclaimed all y’all sufficiently, I am going to start with one of the most inspiring statements I’ve ever heard. A very wise man (namely, Utah State University’s Math/Stat department’s only, Dr. Chris Corcoran) once said, “A p-value is a very powerful tool; however, it should not preclude us from using our brains!” This p-value [the probability that you observe something as extreme, or more extreme, as what has been observed, given the null hypothesis is true] of which Chris speaks is exactly the thing about which I am not going to write. It’s the other part: the using our brains part.
There is a very big problem with the human race. We don’t use our brains!!!! As I mentioned above, I grade homework for a 5000-level stats class. Today as I was grading said homework, I read something that one of the students had written, and I almost wet my pants. The student wrote, “We can see from this plot that the data form a straight line, except that it is a curved straight line.” Huh?!? I had a very hard time not writing, “Look, it’s either a straight line, or it’s a curved line…ya moron!” Of course, I didn’t. But it’s the same thing as saying to someone across the room, “Hey, I’m going to walk over to you in a straight line,” and then walk in a parabolic shaped curve to them. Another student tried to convince me that my desk was brown because it is brown, and someone even attempted to BS their way through the homework telling me that peanuts are nuts except that they aren’t nuts. I wanted to scream. Please people, you are in a 5000-level class. I don’t care if it’s Statistics, Economics, or FCHD 5120, we should be able to use our brains.
So what is it about me (us) that, as Dr. Corcoran stated so beautifully, “precludes [me/us] from using [my/our] brain(s)?” To be frank, I haven’t thought that much about it. Call it laziness. It could also be the 12 pack of Livewire I drink every few days, or the countless hours I waste away on videogames. I could be wrong, but these might have something to do with it. But anyone who knows me can list at least 10 instances in which I’ve failed to use my brain. Please list these in the comments section.
In closing, may we all get our pulses and membranes working, turn the light on upstairs, and make the world a better place. Except me…I’m excused from using my brain.
3 wisecrack(s):
I refuse to list the times I know of that you weren't using your brain because in most of those instances you were using your heart, and as long as one of the two is employed in a person's actions then I won't be critical.
Well... except that time that you and McWayne took me and Wendy and your trucks to go driving in the deep snow and got both of your trucks stuck in it. That was fun.
You kill me. I'm also ultra flattered that you think my bloggy blog is good. And I also refuse to list the times I know of that you weren't using your brain, but for a different reason than Haley. I can think of instances where you weren't using your brain or your heart, but I was there, doing about the same thing. So rather than incriminate myself, I'll concede that you are using your brain most of the time.
And maybe it’s deeper than misuse or nonuse of the brain. Maybe it’s that some of us don’t have brains developed as we should, or have developed them in some areas and lack in others? For example, Mr. The-straight-line-is-straight-except-that-it’s-curved probably knows how to spell the word, “line,” but has no understanding of statistics. But I guess that just goes back to your original statement that we need to use our brains more… Touché, my friend. You win.
Update your effing blog. I tagged you if you need ideas...
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