Divided by Seven

A couple weeks ago, I was having a cup of coffee before school and working out a problem that I was going to give to my students. I found myself doing some long division - dividing by 7, to be exact - when all of a sudden it hit me: that sweet, sweet sensation of uncovering a universal truth.

Since the number I was dividing by 7 wasn't a multiple of 7, my answer wasn't going to be a whole number. So as I added a decimal point and kept dividing, I realized (to the Patty Mayonnaise sound of angels singing) that I could sit in that chair and keep writing all day because the numbers after the decimal were never going to end. Not only that, but it would be true any time I divided by 7 and my answer wasn't a whole number**.

It might seem trivial (or, at the very least, dorky), but in that moment, it was euphoric. I'm sure hundreds of thousands have made the same useless realization before me and have since taken it for granted, much like I take 7th grade knowledge for granted every day. But I've forgotten how exciting and eye-opening those light-bulb moments can be. Though they happen less and less frequently to me, they are happening all around me every day. I need to do a better job of celebrating them.

**Free EiBiT (Everything is Blogger in Texas) Mug*** to the first commenter who provides the proof... c'mon T-CAMS, this is your time to shine

*** these do not exist

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EDIT: What I originally posted isn't entirely clear. For example, when you divide 0.07 by 7 you get an answer (0.01) that isn't whole, repeating, or irrational, which disproves what I was saying. I'm talking about any situation when you need to start adding zeros after the decimal to complete the long division. (Extra Credit: does it work for any other number?)

Look under your bed... It'll set you free

I've been meaning to get into record albums for a couple years now. Hanging out at Steph and Carson's place in Madison and listening to The Band on their phonograph solidified it for me, but for one reason or another I never made it happen. Until today.

Earlier this week, I stopped at Half-Price Books and wandered over to the section of used records for the first time. I'd always wanted to, but it's an intimidating area. I feel like someone is going to ask me about Emerson Lake and Palmer or turntable construction or something like that. For whatever reason, Pete Yorn's 2003 album "Day I Forgot" was released on vinyl. So of course I bought that. I also threw in a CCR album, "Pendulum," because I recognized the song title "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"

But it wasn't until today that Craig's List set me up with a great old couple wanting to unload their record player. $50 for fully functional turntable, receiver, and two Fischer speakers. Plus they threw in this device that converts any audio signal into an mp3 you can put on your computer. I don't know a ton about this stuff, but it seemed like a pretty sweet deal.

When the Packer game looked like it was out of hand, I drove a half hour Northwest of Houston and scoped it out. The couple was really nice and we talked about music and life for about a half hour while we set it up and tried it out.

There was a box full of albums next to the player, and when I asked the guy about it, he said they were trying to sell those too. As I was sifting through them, I realized I had to get it. There were 52 albums and they were selling the box for $50. Granted, some of them are crap ("Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits" or "The Pinnochio Soundtrack") but for the most part, I was impressed.

Some of the albums I had heard before and some I merely recognized from Shawn talking about them or putting them on the Move-In Mixes. Anyway, here's a list of the good ones:

• Simon and Garfunkle's Greatest Hits
• The Beatles 1967-1970
• James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
• James Taylor - One Man Dog
• Blood Sweat and Tears - Greatest Hits
  
• Emerson Lake and Palmer (the one with The Three Fates)
• Emerson Lake and Palmer - Pictures at an Exhibition
• Seals and Croft - Greatest Hits
• Rod Stewert - Every Picture Tells a Story
• Chicago
  
• Elton John - Madman across the water
• Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection
• Elton John's Greatest Hits
  
• Eagles
• Paul Simon
  
• Billy Joel - Glass Houses
• The Beach Boys - Endless Summer
  
• Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman
  
• Three Dog Night - Naturally
  
• Motor City Rollers - Stevie Wonder Songbook

My roommate and I just sat back and listened to Simon and G-Funk's Greatest, and let me tell you: the sound is phenomenal. More as it develops.