Treasure

Pisang Goreng

So, with our joint day off today we took the fast train to Stratford and went to check out the new Westfield shopping centre. It's not bad at all, although we were a bit disappointed with the cost of getting there (given that an off peak travelcard from Ebbsfleet is less than £18 we were hoping that the return to Stratford might have come it a bit less than £14).

The shopping centre is what you'd expect from a shiny new retail hub - lots of flagship stores with plenty of designer bells and whistles. There are still a fair few shops which are "coming soon", and we were spared an even more expensive day due to the fact that the casino doesn't open until December.

Great view of the Olympic Stadium looking rather splendid (and complete) in the September sunshine.

One of the best bits was the wide variety of dining options. Determined to try something new (i.e. not go to TGI, Wagamama, Strada, GBK, Jamie's, Pizza Express, Giraffe and definitely not Nando's (!!) - all of which are there) we went to a Malaysian restaurant called Jom Makan and had noodles and satay sticks and fried chicken and lots more too. Treat of treats, they had Pisang Goreng on the dessert menu, but just to be a fried banana snob, I will claim that it wasn't as good as the one I had from a roadside cart in Penang!

Shopping-wise, I did rather well: a couple of new jumpers and a Ted Baker suit.

Good job it's pay day tomorrow!

Summer

Summer is here at last. No doubt set to last a couple of days only, but better late than never. I think that someone at work has declared it officially Autumn, and so I think that the air-con may have been switched off and the heating on. As a result, the office was baking this afternoon.

Still, good news - no need to go there tomorrow. A day off beckons ...

Tuesday

This is the Tuesday post

Disney artwork

One of my favourite places at WDW is the Magic of Disney Animation at MGM (or Hollywood Studios as we must call it now). It is tinged with a little sadness, as once upon a golden age, there really was a working animation studio there - they were working on Mulan when we went on our honeymoon - but today the animators have departed - even if there were a couple doing some work for show when we were there in the summer.

Anyway, one of the great things about this part of the theme park is that there is an Animation Academy, and during our trip in the summer, we all had a go at drawing Winnie the Pooh (see this post for our efforts).

Today my holiday photo uploading got to this point in our vacation and so I can share some more photos with you. On the way out of the Animation building there is a Disney Art store. Being unable to afford the prices, I took the sneaky option of taking photos of some of the artwork.

Aren't they great!

Away

New league, and so new places to go for away games - today we were in Grain, and unfortunately Jake's team weren't quite as successful as they were last weekend. Still, at least the weather is still warm!

Otherwise normal Sunday stuff, and as I type, Nicky and Jake are dividing their time between watching X Factor and firing Nerfs at each other!

(PS - Dad - thanks for the Pi post - correction made!)

Bonus

Today is a two-post day, caused by the fact that my attempted emailed post on Monday failed to get through, and by doing two today I get back to my tally of one per day.

The previous post isn't particularly recommended reading! I'm hoping that Dad might enjoy it, but other than that, I can't imagine that it will appeal to many. My extensive waffling on about Pi was inspired by reading "Born on a Blue Day" - a book which Mum lent to me when I visited, and which was a good read. The author, Daniel Tammet, is a young man who lives with both aspergers and savant syndrome, and his book did a great job of helping me to understand these conditions a little bit better.

One of the challenges that Tammet sets himself is to break the European record for memorising the decimal places within Pi, and he does so by recalling it to over 22,500 digits, which is a pretty amazing achievement. However, within his chapter on this, he mentions a way of approximating Pi, and this got me to thinking, hence the previous post.

Today has been a proper weekend day for all of us - no teaching for Nicky today (and none next week either which will be a well-deserved break) and it has ended up being a bit of a sporting day - with a trip along the road to for a game of tennis before lunch, and then a visit to the driving range for Jake and I this afternoon, where we enjoying bashing some golf balls. Jake was doing pretty well - I think I may have to keep encouraging him with the golf, and who knows, maybe we will be able to enjoy a round together sometime in the not too distant future. Perhaps he and I should go and have a few lessons (the only problem being that I am a little nervous bringing up the subject of golf lessons due to the wasting of previous presents).

Finally for today, it turns out that we have famous friends. If you don't believe me, check out this extract from today's Times newspaper:

Pi

In each of the two diagrams there is a circle of diameter 1. Also in each diagram six equally spaced lines have been drawn from the centre to the edge of the circle (let's call them "spokes")

In diagram 1, the ends of the spokes have been joined up to form a regular hexagon inside the circle. In diagram 2, lines have been drawn perpendicular to the ends of the spokes, forming a hexagon which is outside the circle.

Pi is defined as being the ratio between the circumference and the diameter of a circle. So, in our circles, as the diameter is 1, the circumference equals Pi.

Let's imagine that we don't know what the value of Pi is, but we would like to try to work it out. What we can see from the diagrams is that the perimeter of the hexagon in diagram 1 is less than Pi, and the perimeter of the hexagon in diagram 2 is more than Pi. So, if we can calculate the perimeters of the two hexagons, we will know that the value of Pi lies in between the two numbers.

In diagram 1, the dotted line forms a right angled triangle along with one of the spokes and the length marked s. Given than sin = opposite / hypotenuse, we can see that:

sin a = s / 0.5 (given that each spoke is half of the diameter of the circle).

Also, the angle a is 30 degrees as it is half of the gap between two spokes, and there are six equally spaced spokes (i.e. 360 / 6 / 2 =30).

So, s = 0.5 x sin 30, i.e. s = 0.25.

There are twelve of the lengths s around the hexagon (as s represents half of one side) so that the total perimeter of the hexagon is 0.25 x 12 = 3.

Now, lots of the same logic applies to working out the perimeter of the hexagon in diagram 2, except that this time we need to use tan, as tan = opposite / adjacent.

This time, tan a = s / 0.5

i.e s = 0.5 x tan 30

i.e. s = 0.5 x 0.577 = 0.289

And so, the hexagon in diagram 2 has a perimeter of 3.464.

So, we have been able to show that Pi must be somewhere in between 3 and 3.464.

Now, we didn't have to use hexagons to form our estimates for Pi. We can start the process by drawing any number of equally spaced spokes around our circle.

In fact, let's say that we draw n spokes. Then the first diagram will have an n-agon drawn just inside the circle and the second diagram would have an n-agon drawn just outside the circle.

And, we can calculate the perimeter of each n-agon in exactly the same way as for the hexagon, by constructing a right angled triangle.

For the inside n-agon, the right angled triangle will have half of the gap between two spokes as its angle a in the centre. If there are n spokes, then each spoke is 360/n degrees away from its neighbour, and as angle a is half of that, then angle a will be 180/n. The length s within the n-agon will again be half of a side, and the same formula will be true, that

sin a = s / 0.5, and so s = 0.5 x sin a.

As s is half of one side of the n-agon, then it will be necessary to multiply s by 2n to get the perimeter of the n-agon, so the perimeter will be:

(0.5 x sin a) X 2n = n x sin a, but remembering that a = 180/n, then the perimeter of the n-agon is given by the formula

Perimeter of inside n-agon = n x sin(180/n).

The exact same logic applies to working out the perimeter of the n-agon which sits just outside the circle, so that

Perimeter of outside n-agon = n x tan(180/n).

As n gets bigger, so the spokes get closer and closer together and so each of the n-agons inside and outside the circle get closer to it, meaning that their perimeters get closer and closer to equalling Pi.

Or to put it another way,

If a = n x sin(180/n), and b = n x tan(180/n), then as n gets bigger and bigger, so a increases towards Pi and b decreases towards Pi.

For n=2000, a=3.1415913617 and b=3.1415952374.

Weekend

And as predicted, it was all just work. Didn't get it all done, lots still to do next week, but hey, it was all just work.

Now it's the weekend.

Avatar

I enjoyed the film Avatar when Jake and I went to see it at the cinema. It was definitely up there in the "blockbuster" category. Apparently we can expect a sequel or two in the coming years.

However, as per yesterday's announcement, we can also expect to see an Avatar land turning up in WDW (probably in about four years, given that construction is due to start in 2013 - sounds like they may be moving the workforce from Fantasyland over to this once it is finished).

Avatar-land is going to be at the Animal Kingdom - presumably in the currently vacant space in the bottom left hand corner of the park - not far from Camp Minnie Mickey.

I'm sure that once upon a time that space had been ear-marked (excuse the pun) for a Beastly Kingdom, or some sort of land themed around mythical creatures. The original logo for the Animal Kingdom featured a dragon in the silhouetted procession of animals along the bottom.

At this stage, for me the jury is out on whether Avatar and Disney can be a successful combination. I will await more news with interest.

(By the way, answers to maths problems postponed awaiting more entries - especially to the "why" part of the question!)

Problem

Here's a maths problem to ponder.

Consider the two numbers a and b, where the values of each are given by the following formulae:

a = n x sin(180/n) and b = n x tan(180/n)

Disregard the values given when n is 1 or 2, but consider the values of a and b when n is an integer value greater than 2:

When n=3, a=2.598 and b=5.196

When n=4, a=2.828 and b=4.000

When n=5, a=2.939 and b=3.633

When n=6, a=3.000 and b=3.464

As can be seen, the value of a increases as n increases, whereas, the value of b decreases.

Question: what happens to a and b as n gets very much larger, and why?

(Problem mulled over and solved whilst on the way home in the car from Brighton this evening, inspired by a couple of pictures in the book that I finished on the train earlier in the day.)

Smuggle

I see that yesterday's post, sent via email from my phone (as I was staying away) didn't appear, so I have a missing day. May have to track that down on my phone and see if I can get it posted at some point. Not that it was in the slightest bit interesting, just that I like to have a complete record!

Anyway, Smuggle has arrived. Nicky has been tracking down board games on e-bay, plotting and planning ahead to UK-based family holidays for next year.

I'm sure that Smuggle was previously called something else, but Nicky doesn't remember this. Question for Dad - did we have an earlier edition that we used to play?

For the avoidance of doubt, I plan to claim diplomatic immunity several times in each game!

Footie

A football Super Sunday today, only spoiled from our household's perspective by the fact that Chelsea didn't manage to bring Man U's winning start to the season to an end. Still, an impressive Spurs stuffed four past Liverpool, so I was happy!

However, all of that pales into insignificance when compared with the fact that today was the first day of the season for Jake's football team. And, the good news is that they won - 4-1.

And, the truly marvellous, fantastic, and fabulous news is that Jake scored a goal!

Oh happy day!

A Blue Day

A thoroughly nice weekend day today, not really blue at all, thanks in no small part to (once a couple of emails had been dispatched this morning) doing my level best to not do any work at all. Jake and I enjoyed a few goes on his new driving game this morning (I could put up with being beaten in all the sporting console games whilst I still felt that still had a fighting chance in the driving simulations, but I think even that is slipping away now!), Nicky and I had a wander in the woods with the dog after lunch, and then we went over to Blue-water to meet up with Bec, Harry and Oliver and have some tea with them. Lovely to see them all - didn't matter that we ended up having dinner in Burger King (Carluccio's menu didn't appeal, Ed's is closed for refurbishment, and there was a long queue at TGI).

As for the blue day, well I'm currently reading a book about someone who was born on a blue day, and it's rather good. More on that another time.

Whispering Canyon

One of the places that we like to eat in Florida is the Whispering Canyon Cafe. It is at the Wilderness Lodge Resort (one of what is now a minority of DVC resorts that we haven't stayed at) just around the corner and across the lake from the Magic Kingdom. Sometimes we take a boat ride from the park and we go there for lunch.

They serve barbecue skillets, made up of ribs, beans, sausage, corn bread and all sorts of other delightful things. When your table has polished off a skillet, they bring you another one.

Sometimes it can be a bit of a challenge to get up and continue the day after lunch!

Anyway, the Wilderness Lodge came to the Round Wood today, as we had a Whispering Canyon-inspired supper. We sat around our circular breakfast bar and had a wonderful home-cooked version of the skillet dinner, and we chatted about our day, hearing stories of Jake making into the 'A' game for rugby.

A truly smashing end to the week.

Painting fences

Looks like I'm going to be getting out of painting fences or digging holes for another year.

Maybe sometime it would actually be nice to not be so busy that the community investment day has to fall by the wayside.

Bounce

As I think I have already mentioned, on our way to Florida in July I picked up a couple of books at the airport. One of the benefits of having time to kill once check in and security has been completed is that there is an opportunity for a jolly good book browse, albeit offset by the annoyance of actually having to shell out the price printed on the back cover in most cases - a rare occurrence these days.

So, I got a copy of Marcus du Sautoy's symmetry book, and started through that on holiday. However, Florida holidays are not all that conducive to reading, what with the distractions of theme parks and all. Even if the boys did want to spend a fair amount of time in the pool, I ended up in there with them or playing table tennis on the poolside table for a lot of that time, rather than laid back on a sun lounger reading.

The mention of table tennis brings me on to the second book that I bought, took with me, and brought home again without opening, which I have now got round to reading. It is called "Bounce" and is written by Matthew Syed, the former British number one table tennis player.

In the book, Matthew considers what makes people world class at sports (and a number of other disciplines as well) and the conclusion that he very convincingly and clearly draws is simply that the people who are the best in the world at various sports gain their top spots through practice, and not through having some innate talent for their chosen field.

This is an extremely encouraging conclusion, as essentially what it tells us is that if we put our minds to it, we can achieve excellence in our chosen fields. The old excuses of "I just don't have any talent for [insert activity here]", or "I have no hand eye co-ordination" or (moving away from sport) "I just don't have a head for numbers", in the vast majority of cases, won't wash, and with sufficient appropriately directed practice, we can crack it.

The only draw back is that success is built upon a mountain of failure. All of our practice needs to be challenging and stretching us. It's no good just to put the hours in, we must constantly be pushing against the boundaries of what we are able to do, failing and failing again, in the name of making the progress we seek. So, a thick skin is required.

I suppose that the other slight drawback is that whilst I say that it is no good just to put the hours in, we do still need to put in a lot of hours. It is estimated, based on the data from a number of different fields, that to become world class takes around ten thousand hours of practice (and they have to be willing hours as well - forced labour is no good, you have to really want it). So, if you put in three hours of practice every single day of your life, starting now, then maybe by some time in 2021 a world record or a world championship could be yours.

So, all that remains to be done is to decide what to beat the world in?

Westfield

Today marked the opening of another shopping centre not too far from us, namely the new Westfield at Stratford. I expect that next time we are heading in the direction of Bluewater we may have to come off the A2 one junction earlier than normal, hop on a train, and go and check it out.

It has an Apple store, so it must be good!

Called off

And so, what to say about today? For me, a pleasant day in as much as I spent some time with Mum and Dad, had a trip out with them and then lunch together before a pleasant drive home (A31 route this time - seem to have developed an aversion to the M3!) and the evening at home with Nicky and Jake. Tried Jake out on a few of the more straightforward items from the Cabinet of Curiosities, after giving up on trying to explain to him about monks with blue dots!! Finished off with a fun game of fizz/buzz before bed.

For others a less pleasant and infinitely more frustrating day! Thinking of you, and hope that next time around comes soon enough and goes considerably more smoothly!

Muddle

Bit of a muddle this evening at the hospital, but eventually sorted out.

Thinking of Dad.

Title

The beginning of today seems like a fairly long time ago, and I didn't even get up particularly early. I was last out of bed, as Nicky had to get off to work, and I think that Jake has become used to early mornings already!

Walked the dog, played a bit of street cricket with Jake (he's starting to hit the ball really hard now!) and left for Hampshire as around 4 o'clock. Decided to come down the A3 so that I could try out the recently opened Hindhead tunnel, and got here just before six.

Mum has laid out a selection of four or five books for me to consider for reading - may be a bit of a challenge given that I've brought three with me.

Roast chicken for dinner was lovely (having Sunday lunch on Saturday evening in case we don't have time tomorrow) and then we've been watching the last night of the Proms, mostly marvelling at the bonkers costume that the soprano was made to wear for Rule Britannia.

Flicked over to the US Open now to see if Murray can get past Nadal in his semifinal.

Mystery

Keys

Hotel keys are rarely keys any more, they are credit card-sized bits of plastic. The one I had for my hotel in Brighton earlier this week was bright green, which did rather clash with my orange room.

I remember when all hotel keys really were keys, and they would come with an enormous key ring, designed to dissuade you from taking the key out of the hotel - leaving it with the receptionist on the way out. I'm sure that one time when I was little we stayed in a hotel where the key rings were made out of a huge slab of blue plastic which had the address of the hotel on it and a little square in the corner where you were supposed to put a stamp if it needed posting back to the hotel!

At WDW, the key to your room can be used for lots more than just opening doors - it can also be your ticket to the theme parks (although not for us last time as we bought annual passes) and a charge card to be used all around the World. I've still got mine from August tucked in my wallet, and every time I pay for something with a credit card I am reminded of my holiday.

It'll probably still be there when we go back in December - exactly 100 days from today.

Mayfair Tapas

The day started what seems like a long time ago now - up early in Brighton and off to the office there (after a quick dash to the Tesco Express over the road to get some toothpaste!), and worked in Brighton for the morning.

Came home just after lunch, and it was great to be here when Jake got home from school. He is getting on well with a certain maths teacher who taught me many years ago, and apparently Design and Technology was a bit hit today. We're hoping for table tennis in PE tomorrow.

Did some work at home this afternoon, and then headed in to London this evening to go to a Tapas restaurant in Mayfair, from which I have just returned.

Off to the land of nod now.

Tuesday

Never mind what the time and date stamp may say, I am claiming this as a Tuesday blog. It must be, as I haven't gone to sleep yet.

It sounds like Jake's second day went well. I had a quick chat with him earlier this evening. However today has been one of those busy Brighton-based ones. Depending on what happens over the next few days there could be some more of them coming up during the next six weeks or so.

Orange.

First day

Before

New school for Jake tomorrow.

Much excitement.

A little bit of nerves too.

Everything will be fine.

Will just be good to have the first day done.

Birthday and Nerfs

BBQ with the birthday boy today. Alarmingly, I was put in charge (ish) of the barbecue, and as far as I am aware, no reports of deaths from food poisoning just yet. Mind you, most of it did look pretty black by the time it was declared ready for consumption!

Came back home this afternoon, and Jake has been shooting us with his recently acquired Nerf guns - I'm sure I'm going to have bruises!

Lasagne

Weekend is here.

Carolyn and Chris came round for dinner this evening - they enjoyed having a proper cooked meal as they are without a kitchen at the moment whilst their extension progresses.

As per the comment from yesterday, Nicky has claimed the prize, although I did finally see a 61 on the way home from work this evening.

Need to decide what the prize is now ...

Zero

That's my score in the new plates game from today, despite driving about 150 miles during the day.

Most disappointing!