evolution

i was at the aggieville laundromat this evening when the guy who works there (who does quite a lot of staring blankly at people, i’ve noticed) stopped my dryer (full with my drying clothes), to rummage around in it. i watched him with what was no doubt a look of incredulity, as i was standing right there. i asked impatiently, “can i help you with that stuff?” he pulled a screw out of the dryer and started it back up and started getting defensive. i appreciate the effort, but it would have been nice for him to say something before using his dirty hands to rummage through someone else’s freshly-washed clothes.

one of my friends from the math department here at kansas state has leukemia, and is spending this semester in wichita undergoing chemotherapy in a fight for his life. his student health insurance will cover about $100,000 worth of treatment; it’s expected to cost around $225,000.

i don’t have much money, but maybe this small bit of publicity will help him out. he’s one of the nicest guys around, and i really had to stop and think about things when i heard about his situation.

for more information, visit the vidyaranya nanduri leukemia fund. i assure you that this is (unfortunately) legit; this is a site put up by his good friends at k-state.

we had a calculus test tonight. i don’t know yet how it went. fortunately i am not teaching a double assignment this semester, so my grading duties are light. i am exhausted after four hours’ sleep and working all day. however, i am excited about a talk i may be giving at the graduate student seminar in a month or so. i’ll post more about that when i work out the details.

i’ve just been told by my father that my stepsister keri and her husband jeff are having a second child. her due date is unknown (at least to me). also, my dad and stepmom bought an opry house in tonganoxie, KS. my stepmom has performed there dozens of times, and the owner is retiring, so my parents are going to have a go at it. that’s exciting stuff. i may have to crack my knuckles and design a website for it.

i received a letter in the mail from the university of wisconsin-madison today. they rejected my application.

i received a letter of acceptance today from the purdue university department of mathematics doctoral program. i don’t know yet whether i will attend, but i like their program as well as the school. they made me an offer that will be tough to refuse.

as always, we shall see what happens.

oh yeah. i forgot to post this:

and then there were seven

i got an email from the washington university (st. louis) department of mathematics on friday. they rejected my application.