...or is it just me?

Another boring party. I’m just not that interested in television, what’s playing in the movies and sports. When I tell people I’m deeply into classical piano, they say, “Oh,” and the conversation doesn’t progress. (I’d love to exchange ideas about composers, interpretation, technique, musicians and repertoire). When I tell them I teach high school science, their eyes go blank and they run in terror. Of course, when I ask them about themselves, they’ll talk on until my eyes cross. I’m pretty comfortable being different but I really do miss having conversations about things that interest me. I'd love to learn something new besides who won American Idol. (Yawn). You too?

Well, in light social conversation, in the USA, it's really not about getting into depth in any topic, but exchanging small tack with people for socialization. Just friendly light social talk until you run into someone (if) you have something in common with.

It's a different story in France.

I'm lucky to also be real interested in sports, and pretty curious about what's on TV (although I can't much contribute to that discussion).

And I'd be curious as heil to hear all about your teaching h.s. science. I'd have millions of questions.

So I guess I am weird.

+1

I don't watch TV and have no interest in sports. I do like movies, but generally not the big studio ones shown at multiplexes. This is why I have just about nothing to talk about with most of the people at work (weather, anyone?) and spend so much time here.

Parties ... well, I don't talk much at parties.

Yes, I'm weird. All my friends are here.

I have no life. My day job is incomprehensible to anyone outside pathology. I raise palms and cycads. (They don't need much.) I read detective stories and I practice.

I hate it. It's such a bore.

What do you mean? I think pathology is fascinating. Exactly what do you do? I'd love to learn about cycads. They're some of the most primitive plants. Very cool when talking about evolution. I read political thrillers and piano books.

I am weird too. I couldn't care less about American Idol anymore. Bloody cheat, that show is.

People dump me after talking to me for a few minutes....

You are not alone!

By day I'm a microbiologist and spend my time studying how cells interact with antibiotics and other small molecules. I love my work but am usually unable to explain my excitement to most of people I meet.

Then, when music comes up and I get all animated about how a guy on this site showed me where original Beethoven scores are available online so that you can compare your particular 'urtext' to what LvB actually meant, well, it tends not to go well.

But you know, consider the options. I was at a party last night where I was introduced to a guy who apparently has what is a 'dream job for boys'. He's CFO for a company that develops video games. What?

I wouldn't trade with any of the normal people out there - would you?

Happy New Years everyone!

Okay, Here's a question I've been wanting to ask a HS science teacher. One day I was poking about in Yahoo Answers in the section where kids go to cheat on their homework. Somebody asked what keeps the moon in orbit around the earth. Several of the answers spoke about a balance between centrifugal & centripetal forces of gravity. I was thunderstruck. Is it possible that a nearly a century after Einstein taught us Relativity we're still teaching Newtonian gravity in school??

P.S. Who did win American Idol?

You're just not talking to the right people, obviously . . . I've gotten to the point in my life where I'm relieved when the bores get bored with me.

What really irritates me is when they want me to become like them.... Like when they say I am depressed because of the music I listen to, and that I should listen to modern music, rap etc... How do they know what I like????

I don't find the right people.... I have been searching all my life.... I mean in real life... The Internet is a different thing, like my friends here.

Sorry, I'm a biologist with medical background. Physics is not my area and I wouldn't be able to answer you any better.

jnod and -Frycek, it's too bad we can't get together. It would be really neat to talk about microbiology, pathology and cutting edge biomedical research. (My middle son is studying neurobiology. We have some great conversations but no one else has a clue what we are talking about.)

The wrong person.

Exactly.

Because, like the Bohr model of the atom, Newtonian physics is almost right and much easier to understand for people just beginning.

Nowadays, the quantum mechanical model of the atom is preferred, but the Bohr model is still being taught at the HS level because it is much easier to understand. Besides, how could one expect high school students to study relativity beyond a purely qualitative analysis?

I didn't even know there was an Australian Idol until last year.... And it was the seventh AI this year, so I didn't notice for 5 years! But I don't watch TV ...

I am fortunate in my friends. One of them is a middle school science teacher, so we talk about solar system models and how we think in algbebraic ways every day. One is an Aids researcher, one is a volcanologist, one a physicist, one a nutritionist, one an architect, etc. None of us watch American Idol We do, however, dance and play music, so we also talk about music and learning music and music theory and ensemble work, et al. From what I can tell from here it's harder for those who play classical, and therefore mostly play solo, to meet other musicians than for those of us who play folk, where bands and groups are de rigueur, but it works for me And for the holidays, fortunately, my family is all weird, too

Cathy

Agreed generally with Horowitzian though Einstein's view on gravity, motion etc can be taught without all the math and can be certainly explained to high school students.

Einstein developed many of his concepts though thought experiments where he imagined common experiences under uncommon conditions. The best known example is his ride on a streetcar away from a clock tower on his way to work. He imagined what would happen if instead of going 25 km/hour or whatever, he literally rode on the beam of light as it bounced off the clock. How would his experience of things around him change? The answers get progressively weirder as you move from considering how relative time changes (ie on the streetcar vs on the street) to how relative mass changes. The result (along with a bunch of other stuff) is the Special Theory of Relativity.

Similarly I would say quantum theory can be taught at a level high school students could understand using thought experiments like the Schrodinger cat idea. The main benefit of this stuff is that it's incredibly interesting!! Not to take anything away from Newton et al, but 20th c physics is totally mind-blowing. Great way to turn high school kids, at least some of them, onto science for its own sake.

What's American Idol?

Sometimes at parties, people find me a little weird.
However I hope their views change after the publication of my latest book entitled, 'A Truss Full Of Lentils'.

You're right - all those other people are weird.

Yes, I agree. That's why I said "qualitative analysis". It is fascinating.

What's even more mind-blowing to me is how powerful quantum mechanics and the various ideas that spin off of it is for explaining a lot of things we see. Chemists, for example, still use Lewis bonding theory because it is a powerful tool for predicting molecular geometry. However, both Lewis Theory and the more advanced Valence Bond Theory fail to explain why the oxygen molecule is paramagnetic (attracted by a magnet). Both indicate that it has no unpaired electrons and therefore should be diamagnetic. But experimental data shows that oxygen is attracted to magnets. The very powerful Molecular Orbital Theory reveals that the oxygen molecule does indeed have an unpaired electron in an antibonding orbital that results in the molecule being paramagnetic.

Everybody is somebody's weirdo.

I watch a lot of television, I keep Netflix busy and I'm interested in other aspects of popular culture, too. I can make conversation and "pass" for normal if I wish, but I don't really enjoy the company of people unless there's that special spark shared by kindred spirits.

I was definitely a weird kid (Aspergers, I reckon, though it was decades before it had a name), but as a young adult—especially during my years at UCLA and later when I was a newcomer to New York City—there was a seemingly endless supply of interesting people with whom to socialize (or not).

I'm relatively isolated now, and that's fine, too; social events, and the attendant pressure to be "on," are more exhausting now than ever. Often alone, never lonely is a credo that's always worked for me.

Steven

Perfect example of the millions of things I'd want to ask too.

Couldn't agree more. And I had the same experience as sotto voce when I left my small town home to attend university -- all of a sudden there were a lot of people just like me to talk to if I felt like it. I'm good company for myself, fortunately.

Hi gooddog, come on over and play all your works in progress and discuss Everything to do with piano and the great challenges of mastering it... If only!!

I really need a piano friend or two. No wonder i am enjoying lessons so much, but an unpaid friend would be nice I'm sure I'll find one soon enough, and my very best piano-friend will come back from overseas.

I'm a happy socialiser and don't mind talking about many things. Except TV! - mine exploded many years ago rather loudly with a bright flash. Then I noticed my house was nicer without it so I never replaced it. I get more music done with no tv.

Socialise: the English language has some strange words.

That's a good credo.... I will make it my own.

I think they gave a name to Asperger's in the 90s. They like to give names to everything these days, like "social phobia" for "shyness"... They have given several names to my weirdness, but the main one remains Asperger's, which is OK because I like to be an aspie...