The Urminskys

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Neyir @ 2:48 pm Comments 2

So yes I am in Canada and yes I did leave my wonderful husband for his birthday though not without a fair amount of pondering and weighing of positives and negatives - and a whole bunch of encouragement from David.

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID, I will sing for you when I talk to you :-). There are a whole bunch of presents on their way to you but first, in no particular orde, here are some of the many things I love about my husband.

1. His inventivness in the………………………………………kitchen, his amazing cooking
2. His crazy songs and the way they go on, and on, and on, and..
3. His child-like enthusiasm
4. His generosity
5. How protective he is of his friends and family - aka ‘do you want me to beat them up? kick them in the shin?’
6. His quiet strength
7. His passion for his work and mine
8. The way he supports whatever I do no matter how well or badly I do it (excluding some truly horrible kitchen/baking experiments)
9. His kindness
10. Watching him cavort with children and attempt to minimise his spinning of the Stubbs girls
Maybe my number one would be the way he loves me!!!! This past year in Scotland has been both terribly exciting and sometimes just plain terrible but I have been blessed beyond measure to be sharing my life with an amazing man who is my rock in so many ways and I would not trade my life with him for anything. Though if Jack Bauer showed up at my door……..

Happy birthday babe and thanks for another amazing year.

xoxoxoNeyir

Gosh, darn and a sigh

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 11:55 am Comments 5

Can you believe that I am another year older. Yesterday, my age was a prime number. I guess I used to be in my prime but now I have evened out. Another year bites the dust and as I look back on the events of the year, I wonder where it all went.

Major events which I predate include:
-The Guilford Bombings
- Watergate
- end of the vietnam war
- Rocky Horror Picture Show
- Regan Economics
- The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (event and song)
- the hit single “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
- the formation of the scottish labour party
- apple computers
- CN tower
- the Sex Pistols
- Star Wars (the movie and the military initiative)
- Space Shuttles
- The start of Pope John Pauls II stint as Pope.

It is nice being in school again. Hanging out with young’ns help to make me feel younge still.

Things to note: I Tried my first 33 year old Whisky this week! I’m glad something are still older than me! Thanks Craig!

Words of wisdom…. “If you are going to go out the night before your birthday, make sure to spend it with a bunch of Irish Peiople. The Guinesse and Whisky will be plentiful!”

That’s it folks. I’m off to celebrate my B-Day with Indian food and a math party later!

Math types can sing!

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 10:54 am Comments 5

Personally, I do sing quite a bit. However, only for mine or Neyirs pleasure (if you ask Neyir she might say pain!). I enjoy music very much and love to spontaneously come up with crazy lyrics to songs. I usually end up forgetting the lyrics after a couple of hours or Neyir just can’t stand the song and vehemently opposes further productions of them. I always consider it a success when I manage to get a chuckle out of Neyir with a song.

Historically, many mathematician have also be accomplished musicians. You may then ask, so what’s Neyirs problem with maths? Well, I don’t think she has a problem, just not the opportunities to come up with crazy math jargon like i can come up with crazy musical jargon. Or, you can say she solved her maths problems by marrying me! That being said, I can’t add or multiply to save my life. I can approximate very well though.

That being said, check out The Kleinfour . This is a bunch of math types at Northwestern university who created a cappella group. Some of their songs are mathy in origin, but they have other tracks as well. You can listen as see some of their performances on their web site, or you can listen to one of their tracks by clicking here.

What has been happening lately

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 2:49 pm Comments 6

So, It has been a while since I have posted here. The reason for the gap of time is apathy/lazyness/etc etc. Many times I have thoughts of things I could blog about only to lose them to that part of my brain where things go which I can’t remember. Maybe they just slip into that hole the doctors left there.

It turns out that Neyir has left me again. When I write it like that it sounds like we have major problems and that Neyir gets fed up and ditches out on us. Rest assured, this isn’t the case. Sometimes I am impressed with how she puts up with some of my eccentricities (Ooooo… i slipped in a math term there). She has gone to Montreal for her Great Aunts birthday. It is a significant birthday and they are having something of a family reunion. Then she goes back to Ontario to visit with her and my family. I hope to see many things she purchases cheap while she is in Canada.

So I am left alone here in Scotland for 10 days or so. My introverted self will relish the first 4 days of this. Vegging my mind and walking around the flat in my underwear; it really is fun times; nobody had better come over and surprise me! After the first 4 days or so, the novelty will wear out and by the 7th day, I will begin to wish she was back. Normaly, I do not get enough alone time (which isn’t neccesarly bad), but I find I never want too much alone time at once.

Exciting things which have happend of late include…… ummmmm….. Oh…. I changed the banner at the top of this blog. Now the colours don’t match; perhaps I’ll do something about this soon. I have started reading (or rather I printed out) Treasure Island. This will be the next book I’ll read. Met someone new at church last night; Her name is Megan and she is here for the next year on an exchange from Harvard. It is weird how our church attracts many americans and rarely captures canadians.

I almost entered into fist-a-cuffs with a smoker the other night. The dude sat down beside me in a bus shelter (right under the no smoking sign) and lit up. I asked him if he was from around here. He answered (with a thick scottish accent) “Yes, I grew up in Leith.” I then responded, “Well, you should be aware of the no smoking ban in enclosed public areas” (the bus shelter is included in this category). He then told me to “F*£$ O**”. I reponded that I would be happy to stand outside the shelter, but it is surrounded by other smokers as well. (this was literally true, there mus have been 10-15 people waiting at this bus stop who were smoking). He then stood up and started yelling some obscentities at me which I did not understand due to his aggitated state and thick accent. Since he stood up, I stood up as well. When he noticed I was about a foot taller (and definatly out weighed him) he sauntered off to have his cigarette somewhere else. I guess I was lucky he didn’t try to stick me with a knife. Anyways, I guess size really does matter!

Oh, by the way, can you believe that Neyir is away during my birthday?! The Nerve!

No Great Mischief

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 11:19 am Comments 6

No Great Mischief is the title of the book i just finished reading by Alistar MacLeod. It is a wonderful but sad account of a man’s journey through his family history from present day Canada all the way back to the Battle of Colloden. If you are looking for a book to read and have not read this one, then get a copy and start reading.

I am currently on the look out for a book to sink my teeth into again. I am considering giving Moby Dick a try. Two goals I have set for myself over the next year (besides finishing this PhD) are:

1. Read the entire Bible. I am following the ESV through the bible in a year program. I started a few weeks ago and have so far red 1 Corinthians, part of 2 Corinthians, Most of Proverbs and the last few Psalms. This has been a good devotion for me so far because I make it the first thing I do when I get to school.
2. Read Moby Dick. If you have been following some previous posts, you will already know I have a hard time finishing this book. I aim on trying to finish it before we leave Scotland.

I think 2 will be harder for me than 1.

Speaking of books, I just checked out two from the Library:

1. Chaos and Fractals by Peitgen et al.
2. Fractal Geometry by Falconer.

Fun time ahead for me!

Do you know what really grinds my gears? IV

Filed under: It Grinds my Gears — David @ 11:50 am Comments 6

During my walks to an from school, my mind usually occupied with the math I have done or intend to do. I usually don’t notice much around me; except for the people I try to avoid as I walk by them, or the people I don’t try to avoid as they walk purposely in front of me.

During my walk home yesterday, and my walk to school today, I notice an advertisment on a bus which ended up occupying my mind during both walks. It reads:

“I am my music”

I couldn’t believe it. I got to rant in my head about this ad for the 6700ish steps I take to get to or from school. This sentence could be interpreted two ways.

1st- the person saying it could mean that the music that they create themselves is what they are.

2nd- the music that they listen makes them who they are.

Both cases seem very depressing to me. In the first case, the music they do create probably reflects something about them. However, the statement says that is what they are. Can people be that one dimensional. Certainly people are more complex and all we are cannot possible be reflected in a few musical bars.

In the second case, the person thinking this is letting media define who they are. It is a sad state of society in which people need external media tell them who they are. Gosh darn it people, get with the freek’n program. Look for things about yourself in more meaningful places. For example, your relationships with other people would probably reflect more about yourself than the type of music you listen to. The music one listens to is certainly bias to what one likes to listen to. At least with your relationships with people, you have to include the relationships you have with people you don’t like as well.

The media really really grinds my gears. People of the world, do not get suckered in to this way of thinking!

Speaking of music…. does anyone want to chip in to purchase me an IPOD?

Twilight Zone thing

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 11:35 am Comments 3

Lately I have been emersed in a paper I am writing. This morning I have been particularly engrossed in it as I have been wanting to finish it by today. I notice how there was nobody in the office with me as my officemates have yet to come in. I looked at my buddy list on MSN and noticed that not a soul was online. Next was my inbox and there were no new messages. I then tried hard to remember I have have seen anyone since arriving at school. The answer to this was no. I saw nobody when I went to the physics room to steal some fresh water, and I saw no one when I went for tea. Even the incessant banging from all the construction in the building had stopped. I suddenly felt very lonely and was wondering if everyone had vanished and I am the only one left. Sort of like a stephen king novel or an episode of the Twilight Zone. Maybe I feel that way as I have recently viewed the whole 1st season of the X-Files.

Oh, in the midst of thinking of what else to write my officemate Marco walked in. Lets hope he doesn’t turn into an alien/ghost/vampire thing to make this whole train of thought complete.

Update:1 hour later….  Rosemary is now in.

Book Report

Filed under: David's Posts — David @ 4:07 pm Comments 5

Some friends of ours posted THIS on their blog. I was told to follow up with my answers. Well, here it goes.

1. One book that changed your life: When I was in the 4th grade (i think), my parents decided to unplug the cable on our TV. This freed up lots of time for us to do other things. It was during this time which I remembered first reading large adult books. No, not adult as in XXX; books without pictures and thicker than an inch. The first book I remember reading during this time was “Kane and Able” by Jeffery Archer. Not the most stellar book of all time, but at the time I really enjoyed it and I think that book started my facination with reading. As a follow up, my brother and I discovered the disconnected cable in the backyard a year later; from that day forward there was cable in my parents house.

2. One book that you’ve read more than once: I am going to go with Lord of the Rings. There are many other books I re-read, but I think this one will stand the tests of time and I’ll re-read it throughout my entire life.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island: Moby Dick. The reason why is because I have tried reading this book about 8 different times. Each time I get about 80 pages into it and stop. I think if I would be on a desert island with only one book, it should be this one. That way I may stand a chance of finishing it. Then, it will be a book I’ll read on more than one occasion and can be an answer for 2.

4. One book that made you laugh: “Microserfs” by Douglas Coupland. Funny for all you computer types. Also a good read for those of you who don’t understand us computer types.

5. One book that made you cry: I don’t cry from books or movies or anythingn like that. Three books which do kick some emotion into my heart though, are “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson, “A Fine Balace” by Rohinton Mistry and “Cry the Beloved Country” by Alan Paton.

6. One book that you wish had been written: “The life and times of David Urminsky”. Mainly so I can see what happens next.

7. One book that you wish had never been written: Ummmm, I am at a lost for a book here. Sure, some books are better than others, but none that I wish were never written. How about “A brief History of time” by Stephen Hawking. It really is a crappy popular science book. Also, I am going to put a magazine on the list “NewScientist”, it is just bad and oftan inaccurate.

8. One book you’re currently reading: Treasure Island , and Alistair Macleod’s No Great Mischief.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: well, obviously Moby Dick.

10. Now tag five people:
I am hoping these people will either post their list on their blog or comment here:
JP
Mom
Michael (brother)
Steve (Hall)
Karen
Richard (you big tree) (you are number six, but I still want to see your selections)