Friday, July 14, 2006

The equation

After a week quite literally spent staring at a single equation on a piece of paper, I think I can officially declare myself spent. I feel that flat, dehydrated and brain dead sensation one experiences after investing countless hours on a single, minute detail. At some stage I may have actually known what I was looking for, but I just realised a few minutes ago that I have absolutely no idea anymore. It's not a particularly good feeling either - especially when you realise how little time you have spent doing anything but stare at the modest collection of mathematical symbols in front of you. Well, that's not entirely true. I also invested significant amounts of time wall papering and carpeting my entire workspace with pieces of un-decypherable notes and derivations, all based on this one equation. No page numbering or order to the chaos in front of me either - just the random musings of a not so "theory driven" researcher, trying to make sense of one equation - one stupid, pointless, boring, f%^@ing equation.

Here's another equation I am considering at the moment:

Friday = "outta here".

Now that makes perfect sense!

2 Comments:

Blogger Frank and Sue said...

Agree, do a bit of simple programming to feed the family. Drives me insane that one little thing can take hours to get working.
Usually I just get up and go for a walk, a coffee, or any form of distraction......doesn't always work but at least I am not sitting on my bum TRYING to think.

7/21/2006 08:32:00 AM

 
Blogger macca said...

yeah - I swear by "debugging on a bike". If, after half an hour, you haven't found the bug, get on a bike, and let your mind work it's magic as you cycle along.

I am pretty sure I have solve all the world's problems on my bike - problem is remembering the bloody answers given I have nothing to write them down with.

7/25/2006 09:42:00 AM

 

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