Nerd Books and The Mother Hips

I somewhat unintentionally read 2 extra nerdy books in a row and I really liked them both. (Surprise, surprise.) So this week is a double book review week! Both books are extremely well written, AND written for normal human beings to read, not just science/math people. I promise.

1)      Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 by Michio Kaku

Physics of the Future reads like a science fiction novel, but it's real life. Sort of. Kaku breaks down different scientific advances in 30 year increments. He talks about some serious science, but does it in a totally understandable way. Micro-chipped clothing, virtual doctors, and internet-enabled contact lenses will all play a part in our lives sometime in the next 100 year,s according to Kaku and the 300-some scientists he consulted with.  Most of the ideas in this book blew my mind. Take the space elevator, for example. According to Kaku, in the next 100ish years, society will figure out a way to send an elevator cable made of carbon nanotubes into space where it will hang out unsupported thanks to gravity and the earth's rotation. Then that cable will be used to TRANSPORT HUMANS INTO SPACE. IN AN ELEVATOR.  To quote Liz Lemon, "What the what?!"

2)      Simon: The Genius in my Basement ­­by Alexander Masters

 I had never heard of Simon Norton before I read an article about this book on NPR. He is a British math prodigy who, by all accounts, was headed to greatness (crazy high IQ, college degree at 15, PhD from Cambridge, etc) for his work on simple finite groups, but instead left academia and became a reclusive, possibly crazy, public transportation enthusiast.

Author Alexander Masters (left) with Simon Norton

The book is less about Simon and more about the author's process of writing about Simon. He is quite the character (he eats a lot of canned fish and has a bit of a hoarding problem.) But it also includes lots of information about Simon's work on simple finite groups (which I still don't really understand) including something called The Monster, but it's done with cheeky cartoons and jokes. And even though I didn't get the point behind simple finite groups, I could still somewhat understand and appreciate his work. (It also made me really glad I'm not a mathematician.)

This week's hot jam is Single Spoon by The Mother Hips. I was recently flipping through some Pandora stations I hadn't listened to in awhile (I've been pretty exclusively listening to 60's Oldies Radio) and Single Spoon came on. According to Pandora, I had given it a thumbs up at some point, but I didn't remember it. I'm glad I got to hear it again, because it's great. I like the old-timey feel and it has some great lyrics. I particularly like this part of the chorus: "Single spoon/Are you stupid?/Don't you know/That it takes two/To do the spoon" I love that they refer to spooning like a dance move. I also the verse about a pager. Yes, there is a whole verse about a pager. (To be fair, the song was released in 1996.)

Gardens and Eagle-Eye Cherry

This time last year I was writing about baseball, and I’m tempted to do it again, but I won’t. (But if you’d like to (re)read my opinions on the sport, you can find it here)

Instead this week is going to be all about gardens. It seems appropriate as spring as finally sprung (if you will) and the record-breaking snow is melting here in Anchorage. Granted, planting won’t really start until May, but spring is nevertheless upon us.

Every year I think about starting a container garden on my porch and every year I don’t do it. But this year is going to be different! I’m really going to do it! (So I say now.)

I think there is something really calming about gardens and gardening. The smells, getting dirty, and the methodical work create a sort of calming trifecta for me. (Minus the fairly constant worry of getting stung by a bee.) Not to mention, after days or months of hard work you have something to show for it. Toiling away in the spring brings things like strawberries and fresh herbs and beautiful flowers later in the summer. Well worth it, if you ask me.


I think there is a serious lack of respect for music of the 90’s. Yes, Nirvana, blah blah blah, but there is a whole host of artists that are completely overlooked. Music from the 90’s isn’t old enough to be cool again, and generally doesn’t offend anyone, so it’s played in places like dentist offices and elevators. It’s hard to validate a song that you hear while getting a filling, but I’m up to the challenge. This week’s hot jam is Save Tonight by Eagle-Eye Cherry. Save Tonight was the only real hit for Eagle-Eye Cherry (who is just one guy, not a band, and was actually named Eagle-Eye Cherry by his parents) and I love a one hit wonder. The best part of Save Tonight is one line: There's a log on the fire/And it burns like me for you. Pure genius. It’s such a cheesy line, but so amazing. Of course, I would roll my eyes if a gentleman ever said that to me, but I would appreciate the reference.

This video is super weird, but would you expect anything less from a man legally named Eagle-Eye? It very easily could have been done in a slow jam-style, all bear skin rugs and roaring fires, but it's not even close. In fact, if there was an opposite to slow jam-style this might be it.

Trivia and Herman's Hermits

You know those books of state facts you might have had as a kid? Those were my favorite. I read them cover to cover, filing away weird laws and state flowers. I also had a subscription to a kids' magazine (that I can't remember the name of now) that had a "Weird but True" facts page. I always read it first, memorizing useless tidbits about 6 toed cats and tallest waterfalls. Jeopardy! is my second favorite game show (behind Price is Right). If it's trivial, I want to know it.

In general, my trivial knowledge is not that important. Do I really need to know that cats' whiskers are as wide as their body? Or that you really can stick postage and an address on a coconut and throw it in a mail box? Things like this don't come up that often, but my brain is FILLED with them. I'm sure I'd be at least 10% better at math if I didn't know things like the original Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz had to be replaced because of a reaction to the silver paint.

Buddy Ebsen couldn't cut it

Jack Haley could

I recently started playing pub trivia on Tuesday nights with some friends, so I'm getting more use out of my trivial knowledge, maybe one day we'll win the $50 gift card to the bar!

Team Baby Butt Ginger

This week's hot jam is I'm Into Something Good by Herman's Hermits. Herman's Hermits was one of my favorite bands growing up. (Weird, I know). They are just so...fun. I love that the lead singer, Peter Noone, only sang and clapped, while the rest of the band sang and played instruments. His multitasking skills must have been limited. I really love all those "boy bands" from the early- to mid-60s, they are wholesome and adorable. And you know those boys were gentlemanly. They were buying flowers and saying things like, "May I have this dance?" (And they didn't do things like father 4 children with 4 different women - I'm looking at you, Lil Wayne.)