In the news

In theory, I suppose, I am a serious person. I have serious academic credentials, and a serious job. I must, by extension therefore, also read serious books and follow the news, seriously. I mean, that's what serious people do.

So why is it that my (extensive) personal library is filled with glossy-covered chick lit, mystery novels and a rather large collection of books of the "How I Hopped Around Nepal Wearing a Potato Sack While Singing Italian Opera" variety?

And why is it that, after only briefly skimming over the "important" headlines (on that note: Sotomayor!) the only "news items" I'll actually read are those with absolutely no serious impact whatsoever?

Perhaps it is to entertain you, dear readers.

On the menu today, differential equations (ooh, serious stuff?) as applied to... Romeo and Juliet. There's even some detailled, complicated math bit at the bottom (my mother would love it) which I didn't exactly follow. But what I did take note of is this extraordinary finding:

"By writing equations that summarize how Romeo and Juliet respond to each other’s affections and then solving those equations with calculus, we can predict the course of their affair."

Really? We can predict what will happen in a relationship and no one told me? So does this signal an end to endless conversations between girlfriends analysing in detail whether the fact that a member of the male species was wearing his nicest shirt but ended our third date with "I'll call you" means that we'll be married by next year or not?

Staying on the topic of marriage (perhaps love is in the air) I am a big fan of this Chinese "spouse market" concept, whereby our parents actually stop complaining about how they're never going to have grandkids and just get up and do something about it (while simultaneously socializing with their peers and keeping active). Brilliant. We should have that here. Though come to think of it, do my parents have good taste in men?