Friday, September 19, 2008

"For better or for worse, for richer and for poorer, and I even promise to teach you statistics if it's the last thing I get into your head."

My husband loves me. 15 years ago I was not driving-- my not driving laid some of the issues that I spent years getting over about my parents, so don't ask. My husband tried to teach me and we broke up. (My mother would eventually teach me. It was she who said that when I was scared that I was either too brave or downright mean!)

Learning statistics with my husband right now is trying on us. I started mauling his neck and he said, "No." I teasingly told him he wasn't a real man. He said that real men know that a sexy woman is one who understands statistics and can finish up her bachelor's degree so that they can pay for her to get a master's-- by the way, he asked, what was I thinking of for that MA? I went back to it. With every problem he was saying the steps with me. It is so frustrating to do this and to stay on task. He'd ask me questions as he flipped through the book, telling me to get familiar with the terms, relax, try again. My mind is spilling over with data analysis and probability. He gets excited talking about this stuff. I feel like I am four years old again watching the Watergate hearing on TV with my dad. I don't know what Darrin is talking about but I know that someday I will and it will be very, very important!

I have to get dressed up-- skirt, heels, uncomfortable clothes, so I pay attention. Otherwise I get sleepy. I have to stay with it, just a few more months. . . in between problems, I edit written assignments for the kids and help with their other work.

I just got an email from Cloud's teacher at her homeschool-- he works with her for an hour each week to stay on top of her math and he says that she is very fast at catching on. He apparently asked her if she ever clashed with her dad over math when he made her work hard and she said, "No-- that's what my mom does. I just learn it and get it done."

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Oh, I love statistics. The key of it not to overcomplicate the problem. I mean sometimes a simple theorem is enough while you can solve it with many calculations and thinking so good luck.