Math and Alternative Universes

Two utterly independent and yet conjoined thoughts…

Firstly*

Math and I are going through a rough patch in our relationship at present.  A truly tragic state of affairs I must say.  For the world of math does not ever slow down and explain itself.  Math can be related to Vitamin A.  Under normal exposure levels, Vitamin A is essential to life.  It is necessary for proper bone growth, tooth development, and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes.  Likewise, so is math.  Math is needed in calculating the tip after a nice dinner out, it is essential in finance and accounting, I would say that most people use math in one way or another at least once everyday.  However, Vitamin A, and so math, can be extremely harmful and detrimental in elevated exposures.  If you eat a polar bear liver, you will die, because it contains such a high concentration of the fat-soluble Vitamin A**.  Also, if you take four math classes, you will die.

I did not intentionally sign up for four math classes.  Technically, I’m not in four math classes.  I’m in Calculus and Differential Equations for Biology Majors II, General Chemistry II, Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Accounting and Financial Math.

I’ll start with the obvious ones.

Calc.  This class is a continuation of the calc and differential equations course I took last semester.   It is specifically tailored to the needs of biologists, and encompasses the basics that we will need for careers in biology in the future.  I conjecture however, that this class was actually created so that we could fit five semesters of math into two.  I am taking math on steroids.  We have covered the material in calculus 1, calculus 2, differential equations, linear algebra, and today, the wonderful multivariable calculus TYPICALLY associated with calculus 3.  I maintained my sanity by defining the “saddle-point” of a three-dimensional map as the center point of a Pringle.  Another catalyst of my frustrations:  I know calculus, I can do calculus.  Which makes it incessantly exasperating when I get a B+ on a test instead of an A+ because of three MULTIPLICATION errors in a vast array of calculus problems.

Accounting, of course, is math, a simpler version than calculus sure, but nonetheless just as annoying.  Especially because they assume that you KNOW what “Accounts Payable,” and “Contributed Capital” means.  So even though the actual MATH is only addition and subtraction (with the occasional division thrown in), I don’t know WHAT to add or subtract, which makes it a very difficult problem.

Chemistry you may not think involves an exorbitant amount of math, however you are wrong.  Sure there’s tons and tons of formulas and conversions and memorizing…  but nothinfg too atypical or difficult.  Plug and chug right?  Not when dealing with kinetics…  I can put numbers into a formula, do the algebra, and get an answer.  The trouble arises when I have to CREATE the formula, and then, because that’s not enough, INTEGRATE it.  So in short, chemistry has become an extension of calculus***.

Finally, genetics.  This caught me the most by surprise today when I discovered that my beloved career-to-be also revolved around math****.  Probability, in all honesty, is at the very heart of genetics.   The chances of a particular outcome of a cross can be determined mathematically thanks to probability (and indefinitely thanks to alternative universes – which I will get to in a little bit).  [Side note: the year before last, the math teachers at my high school were frustrated because they had to go to a probability workshop put on by the district to learn how to teach probability.  In addition to this, the math courses were changed to reflect a greater emphasis on probability.  This occurred AFTER my rudimentary math courses, and as a result, I still am not very good at probability] Anywho, probability is important, and can tell us a lot about our world and how and when genes are transferred.  Today’s lecture covered the binomial probability formula [(p+q)^n] and it’s relation with Pascal’s Triangle, chi-square (X^2), which is equal to the summation of observed minus expected squared, divided by expected, and somehow relates to the “goodness of fit*****,” and another probability formula that I would like to highlight a bit more:

n!/(s! x t!) x (p)^(s) x (q)^(t)

The symbol “!” denotes “factorial,” incase you didn’t know.  Meaning you multiply together all the integers from 1 to the given number.  However when I see this, all I can ever think of is an exclamation mark, which denotes feeling or emphasis on a statement.  So when I read this equation I see:

NNNNNNNNNN!!!!!/(SSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! x TTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!) x (p)^(s) x (q)^(t)

And that makes me laugh despite the fact that it is complicated and hard.

Now that my rant about math is complete, I will move on to an even more confusing, complicated, and difficult subject to comprehend.

Secondly******

The idea of alternative universes is quite an interesting phenomenon.  Essentially, as the name implies, it suggests that there are other universes existing, infinite universes existing, in space, time, and probability.  Our universe can be placed on a 2-dimensional X, Y plane, with X representing time and Y representing space.  My existence is graphed as a line fluctuating in place and time.  However there exists an entire plane of both time and space, meaning I could theoretically be found in any space at any particular time.  Quantum physics takes this idea and suggests that this in fact does happen.  I am existing in all space and all time simultaneously.  This explains our universe.  Which brings us to Z…  Z is the third dimension that comes out vertically from our 2-dimensional X, Y plane.  I also exist in this universe (X, Y plane) as a value of Z.  Z extends upwards and downwards from our X, Y plane universe infinitely.  Therefore it exists in every X, Y plane.  Each X, Y plane, at a certain value Z, is it’s own independent universe.  I extend though every universe as a value of Z at every point and every time.  This allows for infinite possibilities of occurrences and events.  In short, there are alternative universes existing where infinite possibilities are taking place.  Today I had a sandwich for dinner, in another universe I chose to eat pasta instead, and in yet another universe I am eating pizza.  In another universe still I decided I didn’t want dinner at all and instead went running.  As you can see, this equates to infinite possibilities and therefore infinite universes.  And this is not even taking into consideration everything else besides ME! Thankfully infinity times infinity is still infinity.

Of course, there is nothing even remotely perfect about this hypothesis, and proving it true would have no affect anyway, considering you can’t move between universes.

So I am stuck here in this universe, living a life at Z in space and time.  Staying up way too late blogging in the hope that school will be cancelled tomorrow due to the snow swirling furiously just inches away through two panes of glass. 

Good night world.

*I know this isn’t a word, but it goes with secondly

**Ironically…. This analogy is full of math.  The amount of Vitamin A in your body can be calculated by the integral of Vitamin A absorption into the blood minus the rate at which it is dissolved in the blood stream.

***Or an application of it, if you want to look on the bright side.

****It didn’t really catch me off guard, I knew that math of course would be associated with genetics, as it is with all fields, however this was accompanied by the realization that I have done nothing like this before, and it’s hard.

*****Yes that is a real term apparently.

******Take nothing I say here as undisputed fact.  It is a recitation of knowledge acquired during a popcorn chicken lunch debate.

I love the guitar!!

I learned my first real song!!!

And afterwards, I had a little crisis…

You see I’ve always known that I love biology, and I that want to study biology and specifically genetics.  But what I haven’t always known is that biology, and even simply genetics, is HUGE!  So as a result, I’m finding out about all of these choices and paths I can take in the biology field, and it’s kind of overwhelming sometimes.

Like last night when I played around with my degree audit and realized all of the possibilities, all of which I want to do, but realistically can only do one MAYBE two of, it kind of put me in shock.

There’s also the fact that I like to have a plan, a road map, a destination.  I want to map out my time here at Northeastern, figure out when I’ll be in class, when I’ll be on CO-OP, when I’ll study abroad, and what classes I’ll take in what order to fulfill my requirements and interests.  This, I found out last night, is very difficult to do.  I want to have a mission*; I want to know where I’ll end up before I get there.  In reality however, I can’t really see into the future past the end of my nose.

So after a stressful night of debates over biology vs. biochemistry, BS/MS program in biotech vs. actual grad school, doctor vs. researcher, environmental science vs. business minor…  I went to bed.

When I awoke the next morning I already had a plan.  I would meet with 3 or 4** of my advisors to talk about my options.  I would weight out the pros and cons and figure one thing out at a time, and I would not lose any more time.

And so I went to my first advisor, and the next available meeting wasn’t (and still isn’t) until February…  And so I went to my second advisor, who basically told me that I needed to talk to the first advisor and the third advisor…  And the third advisor’s office wasn’t open.  Humph.

And so I called my mom.  And she reminded me that I DON’T in fact have to make all of these decisions tonight, I DO have two or three years still, and even after that I can STILL change my mind if I want, I’m not locked into a profession for life.

And then I remembered God.

And everything changed.

Because God is here, leading me, directing me, exposing the path that He has already laid out for me.  All I need to do is follow.

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” ~JEREMIAH 29:11

And there is no need to worry, because God has met and will meet all of my needs.  He will take care of me, because I am His child.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap no gather into barns, and yet you heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life span?  And why do you worry about clothing?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil or spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.  But if God so clothed the grasses of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith?  Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we wear?’  for it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.  Today’s trouble is enough for today.” ~MATTHEW 6:25-34

And because of God, I have been given gifts to use on my journey; the drive to answer questions and help people, the desire to explore and discover new things, and the capacity to recognize that the complexity, wonderment, and awe of life is so much more than I will ever be able to understand.

“We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.” ~ROMANS 12:6

And I am so thankful, that God is in my life.

And then I picked up my guitar again, and I played through that song one more time, and I actually listened to the lyrics this time around.

Another turning point a fork stuck in the road,

Time grabs you by the wrist, and directs you where to go

So make the best of this test and don't ask why

It's not a question but a lesson learned in time

It’s something unpredictable but in the end it's right

I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs and still frames in your mind

Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time

Tattoos the memories and dead skin go on trial

For what it's worth it was worth all the while

It’s something unpredictable but in the end it's right

I hope you had the time of your life.

It’s something unpredictable but in the end it's right

I hope you had the time of your life.

It’s something unpredictable but in the end it's right

I hope you had the time of your life….

And it’s true.

*This should have been my first clue…

**It’s kind of ridiculous that we have so many advisors, but then again they’re all helpful in one area or another!  I have my academic advisor, my honors advisor, my CO-OP advisor, my study abroad advisor, my faculty advisor and a few others.

Raquelita

This post is dedicated to one of my other best friends Rachel.  Whom I got to see over Christmas break, but unfortunately won’t be able to see again all that soon because she’ll be surviving on her own in the wilderness and jumping out of planes all summer…  SO COOL!

Anyway, today is her BIRTHDAY!!!  So Happy Birthday Rachel!  Just wanted to let you know how special you are to me, and regardless of our Elementary rivalries and Scrooge enmity, you have become my confidante, my motivator, and above all my friend.

 I would play a song for you, but aside from the fact that the Hip-Hop-Hoe-Down-Throw-Down is really hard to play… IT DOESN’T EVEN EXIST!

Love you Rach!  You are always in my prayers.

~Emily

Valeralerie

This post is dedicated to one of my best friends Valerie.  Whom* I will be visiting in Ecuador in [see counter on the right].  SO COOL!  And I can hardly wait!

Also, she’s the inspiration for this blog in general (like my whole blogging habit), so thanks to her I’m still here!

*I know this it “whom” and not “who” because I actually studied for the ACTs!

Reasons I LOVE Alaska

Cook Inlet

Denali National Park

Denali National Park

The Butte

Pioneer Peak

Yakutat

Yakutat

Seward Highway

Seward Highway

16 Mile - Hatcher's Pass

Paradise - Hatcher's Pass

Denali National Park

Girdwood

Matanuska Glacier

Seward

Seward

Lazy Mountain

Lazy Mountain

Goodbye Alaska

It is very late at night, or very early in the morning… depending on how you want to look at it.  I suppose this could be one of those the-glass-is half-empty-no-it’s-half-full kind of things, unless you’re stuck in an airport waiting to leave home, in which case the glass is most definitely half empty.  It’s half empty 1) because it’s 2 o‘clock in the morning and I’m tired and would honestly rather be anywhere else than in the Anchorage airport, and 2) because I’m leaving home to go back to school, and not that I don’t like school or am not having a good time or anything, but that I really like home, and don’t really want to leave again just yet.

But since I don’t have any power to change any of that at the moment, I may as well try to focus on the positive things, such as, the rows of chairs don’t have armrests, meaning I can lay down if I ever finish this post, provided of course that I don’t fall asleep, which would not be good at all.  Another good thing is that it is not snowing, or hailing, or sleeting, or anything else that could delay this flight even more.  It is only about 10 degrees out, and foggy.  Which of course means ice crystals floating in the air and results in a horafrost on every surface a centimeter or two thick, which is a lot when considering frost.  This brings me to the fact that I love horafrost and I think it is one of the most beautiful things in the world and one of the many reasons that I love Alaska. 

And while I would love to dwell on the multitude of reasons that I love this great state, I feel like it would be beneficial to both my physical and emotional health if I postponed this topic for a while and instead took a little nap.

So I leave you now my friends, in the hope (and dread) that tomorrow at this time I will be waking up to get ready for my calc and differential equations 2 class.

My favorite pastime EVER!

It occurred to me today that I have not written about the greatest sport of all time: Extreme Sledding.

Here in Alaska we don’t sled like normal people do.  Why walk up and sled down wimpy little hills when mountains surround us?  We are literally SURROUNDED by mountains (I live in “The Valley”).  Hatcher’s Pass is my favorite place on the planet.  It’s my playground.  And it happens to be home to the two best sled runs that I’ve come across yet: 16 Mile and Paradise.

16 Mile is named such because it begins at mile 16 of the Hatcher’s Pass road.  The run itself is probably about a mile long (a guess) and ends near the bottom of the pass.  Cliffs, trees, humongous jumps, rocks… You name it.  Once you reach the bottom, everyone piles into the van with the designated driver (thanks mom!) and off you go again!

Paradise, in my opinion, is aptly named due to the simplicity and all around easier run that it is compared to 16 Mile.  It’s shorter though, and has more flat areas, which can be a good thing if you’re not really all that great at steering a sled.

One prominent detail that needs to be mentioned: we race.  There are no rules, the first person to make it to the bottom wins.  Wipeouts – accidental or otherwise – are all a part of the game.  And every bruise and bump I end up with is totally worth it.

This kind of sledding is a skill.   And I really don’t know how to describe just how awesome it is.  It is most definitely however, my favorite activity in the whole world.

Since a picture’s worth a thousand words…

Getting ready to head over the edge

Me and Noah on the ride up

Baruch tearing it up! 

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to get really good pictures of us sledding and the runs on account of excessive speed, so these pictures don’t really do the sport justice.  But I’d say that last one is a good one.  

This final picture is the reason I love Hatcher’s Pass, and is probably one of my favorite scenery shots in all of Alaska.

Hatcher's Pass, Alaska

Telephone Pictionary: aka "THE BEST GAME EVER!"

I’ve talked about this game in previous posts, but it is just THAT good.

And since I’ve played it three on different occurrences this week, I feel this post is validated.

Here are some of my top 10 favorite drawings from the New Year’s Eve shindig.

"Eating the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow"

"Giant squid attacks crowded submarine"

"Lord Voldemort on a date with Delores Umbridge"

Something to do with biting an arm off...

"Dismemberment is funny!"

"Jumping on a trampoline while playing basketball with a baby"
(Or something of the likes) 

Riding a tap dancing T-rex?
Can't really remember where this one went

"Hair eating a baby with stitches and big ears"

These last two go together and though not the most outrageous were my favorite of the night.

"Playing piano on top of the Space Needle"

"Music divided by space plus a needle"

Who I Am

It has occurred to me, that the whole finding yourself phase/becoming an adult is HAPPENING TO ME RIGHT NOW!!!  And while at first this created a minor (ok, major) freak out moment, I have since relaxed a little, let go, and decided that I am who I am whoever that may be.  In my somewhat OCD need to control my life and have a plan, I have decided to define who I am.  Now, and forever.  Sure people change, and I will, no doubt, change as well.  But the foundation upon which my life and self is built will remain firm.

So.  Who I am.

I am independent.  I don’t need someone holding my hand every step of the way.  I can do things for myself.  As a human however, I am at my very heart relational.  I’m not a hermit.  The presence of and interaction with others is extremely important in my life.

I am compassionate.  I care.  I don’t merely float through life.  I want to do my best to help others.  Any remotely sad or heartwarming moment generally brings tears to my eyes.  I love.

I am grounded.  Not like a troublemaker so I’m grounded all the time* but meaning set in my beliefs.  I know where I stand and why, but I’m not afraid to listen to other sides with serious contemplation and thought.

I am committed.  I don’t back out when the situation gets tough.  I stick it out to the end.

I am motivated.  I want to achieve.  I want to reach my goals.  I want to learn.  Yes, it’s difficult at times, but where is my purpose if I don’t DO something?

I make mistakes.  We all do, and we all live with them, and try to correct for our errors.

Who I am

If I live to be a hundred

And never see the seven wonders

That'll be alright

If I don't make it to the big leagues

If I never win a Grammy

I'm gonna be just fine

'Cause I know exactly who I am

I am Rosemary's granddaughter

The spitting image of my father

And when the day is done

My momma's still my biggest fan

Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy

But I've got friends who love me

And they know just where I stand

It's all a part of me

And that's who I am

So when I make big mistake

When I fall flat on my face

I know I'll be alright

Should my tender heart be broken

I will cry those teardrops knowin'

I will be just fine

'Cause nothin' changes who I am

I am Rosemary's granddaughter

The spitting image of my father

And when the day is done

My momma's still my biggest fan

Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy

But I've got friends who love me

And they know just where I stand

It's all a part of me

And that's who I am

I'm a saint and I'm a sinner

I'm a loser, I'm a winner

I'm am steady and unstable

I am young but I'm able

I am Rosemary's granddaughter

The spitting image of my father

And when the day is done

My momma's still my biggest fan

Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy

But I've got friends who love me

And they know just where I stand

It's all a part of me

And that's who I am

I am Rosemary's granddaughter

The spitting image of my father

And when the day is done

My momma's still my biggest fan

Sometimes I'm clueless and I'm clumsy

But I've got friends who love me

And they know just where I stand

It's all a part of me

And that's who I am

So now you know who I am… But who am I?  Sounds kind of redundant… And I agree it probably is.  But in the grand scheme of things, Who Am I?  Some considerably small portion of the world today, and even smaller when you include all of history and time.  Like I said earlier I like to have a plan.  But my plan is nothing compared to God’s plan for me.  He’s the one who has it all worked out.

Who am I?

That the Lord of all the earth,

Would care to know my name,

Would care to feel my hurt.

Who am I?

That the bright and morning star,

Would choose to light the way,

For my ever wandering heart.

Not because of who I am,

But because of what you’ve done.

Not because of what I’ve done,

But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I’m calling,

Lord, you catch me when I’m falling,

And you’ve told me who I am.

I am yours.

I am yours.

Who am I?

That the eyes that see my sin

Would look on me with love

And watch me rise again.

Who am I?

That the voice that calmed the sea,

Would call out through the rain,

And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am,

But because of what you’ve done.

Not because of what I’ve done,

But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I’m calling,

Lord, you catch me when I’m falling,

And you’ve told me who I am.

I am yours.

Not because of who I am,

But because of what you’ve done.

Not because of what I’ve done,

But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I’m calling,

Lord, you catch me when I’m falling,

And you’ve told me who I am.

I am yours.

I am yours.

I am yours.

Whom shall I fear

Whom shall I fear

Cause I am yours..

I am yours..

It’s all summed up in that last line for me.  I am yours.  No matter what else goes into the formula for “Emily,” God is at the center.

“I will keep your law continually, forever and ever.

I shall walk at liberty, for I have sought your precept.

I will also speak of your decrees before kings, and shall not be put to shame;

I find my delight in your commandments, because I love them.

I revere your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.”

Psalm 119:44-48

*I have never been grounded by my parents until like a week ago when I didn’t plug the car in after coming home.  They wait till I’m back from college and 19 years old to ground me.