Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Are You Neurotic?

If so, it appears you're in good company. My 16yo daughter picked up the book, I Am Neurotic, upon a librarian's recommendation. When she kept giggling, I leaned over her shoulder to check it out...and quickly "borrowed" it.

[Note: this is a book for mature readers. Perhaps mature, neurotic readers? :) ]

The book comes from the author, Lianna Kong's, work on her website, iamneurotic.com, where folks come to privately tell of their neurosis. Each page contains a photo illustration and someone's anonymous contribution, describing their issue. We could relate to a few of them, laughed at more, and shook our heads at the remainder. As a math educator, I especially enjoyed a couple...

"When I eat colored sweets (Skittles, Smarties, etc.) I have to arrange them by color, then pull out enough of them to create a Fibonacci triangle before I can eat them (in ascending numerical order). Any excess sweets that do not fit the pattern have to be eaten in one go before I can start on the patterned sweets." (I'm sure you can picture the photo illustration!)

"When I buy dinner at a restaurant I always leave a tip so that the total is a palindrome." (like $34.43)

I read the book in about 30 minutes. And felt quite relieved that my neurosis are not nearly as bad as I might have thought. ;) If you want a fun, fast read--with lots of photos--look for this book.

Cars Decide If Driver Is Drunk - Video



Associated Press: An alcohol-detection prototype that uses automatic sensors to instantly gauge a driver's fitness has the potential to save thousands of lives, but could be a decade away from everyday use in cars.

Motorists under the influence of drugs are a growing threat on U.S. roads. If you think about driving on a Friday or Saturday evening about 16% of the vehicles - one in six of the cars - the driver will be under the influence of an illicit or licit drug.

"Drugged driving" hampers judgment, reaction time, driving skills and memory.

Related:
16% of motorists may be under the influence of drugs during weekends - one in six of the cars