Thursday 4 August 2016

"Never Give Up, Never Surrender"

Captain Taggart was right in 'Galaxy Quest': "Never Give Up, Never Surrender". Just keep on going, and things will get better. A few rough setbacks will not prevail if you keep on getting up and trying again. Is that enough motivational jargon to keep you going out there in the real world, theoretical connoisseurs of the nonsense of the Quirky Muffin? It's all true, no matter your existential state. Most failures are due to giving up. That is why, no matter how long it may take, I will never give up until the Missing Glove is found! (Note: capitalising things makes them more important.)

The Missing Glove shall be found. There will be no sleep, no food, no dirigibles, no juggling, no mashing of potato, and no whistling dixie until it is found. What is a single glove without its mate? Of what use is it? It is merely two Goodies without the third, Fraser without Vecchio, Lois without Clark, or even Lynda Day without Spike Thompson. Oh, the folly of trying to go on with only one glove! Although, technically, a single glove does have a purpose after all: It can be used to challenge people to duels. It's true that a woolly Winter glove doesn't have quite the same sting, but it does the job.

One glove, one glove, and no giving up. A lack of giving up really worked well this week, in helping an undergraduate student with her revision. The first session was a small disaster, but with a lot of preparation and a lack of giving up, the second worked very well. She will pass, with no doubt, and that's the main thing. Sadly, however, she doesn't have the Missing Glove, merely the essence of not giving up, and a lack of experience of single glovedness in the modern age.

Where could the glove be? Is it behind the elephant? No. Behind the printer? Of course not. Perhaps it's under the shrine to the 4077th MASH? Hmmm. It might have been if it existed? Would that be good? Perhaps I should e-mail the AfterMASH podcast to see if they have the glove? That might be ridiculous? The search continues...

O.

PS Now, what on Earth does 'whistling dixie' mean?

1 comment:

  1. the monkey has it, he is in the tree eating a banana
    -- Bill Bailey

    I was reading research on the production effect and the apparent power it has to enhance mental ability visa vi reading aloud.
    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ulterior-motives/201005/say-it-loud-i-m-creating-distinctive-memory

    I was postulating that perhaps doing similiar with mathematics might have a similar benefit. I have already read studies that show studies who merely trace the outline of equations have better memory of performing the equation during tests. Could this be the holy grail of intelligence?! perhaps, perhaps I'm off my rocker. I'd tell this to people I know but they think I'm a bit of a cuckoo clock anyways. They don't understand how spaced learning works and why at my age I'm tossing juggling balls in the air every 25 minutes. 'It will make me a genius!" I cry, realizing that they are looking at me like I am quite mad! Well, perhaps so, time will have to vet me. I thought perhaps this insane rambling perhaps might find a warm ear and get a good chuckle, or even a guffaw! I'll paddle out now!

    http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/CLAS/clas-advising/Documents/VIIId.pdf
    http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/01/this-old-study-aid-for-math-turns-out-to-have-a-scientific-basis/

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