Mathematics Again

Before I retired the first time, I thought once retired, I would learn mathematics, truly learn. I never got around to it, so I will try again now that I am retired, again ("retired, again" sounds redundant somehow; i.e., "tired again, again." Some days I live down to that.). I started today by purchasing a self-teaching mathematics book, plus two more physics books ("A physicist is a mathematician with a feeling for realty." ~ Norman Packard).

The reasons for this passion are several.

First: Of four children, three are in school learning new things. I feel left out, a slacker. I've also discovered the local college has a senior project that is about learning, but it doesn't recycle semesters, years, whatever, until July. That seems a long way away.

Second: It's good for self-discipline, and that I perceive after too many decades as one of my chief problems. I have an outer persona that appears dedicated and over achieving, but I live on the inside where I know different.

Third: Anyone not knowing mathematics is really illiterate, and I really feel that way when reading physics, etc. It's a major hole in my education (I said "a," not "the") and one I would heal over. I dislike feeling illiterate almost as bad as being illiterate.

Should some future entries become even more "glaze-'em-over" topics than already, you know the reason. If I am really good, I'll see about turning the topics into "programmed instruction" as spoken of in a previous entry. It's only fair I put production where my mouth was. If not too time consuming, I shall. Hopefully it will help those who like me made it through high school mathematics with lots of holes (mostly from not attending the topic in class and homework). The effort makes up some negative karma perhaps, but the real karmic costs were the opportunities left unavailable.

Audacibus adnue cœptis. ~ Virgil, Aeneid
(Favor daring undertakings.)