One of my colleagues congratulated another of my colleagues today on her fine use of circles on a flip chart. Especially appropriate, she said, as today is Pi Day. What on earth is Pi Day? Why does Pi have a day? I thought these things briefly, but the conversation moved on, and I forgot all about it.
Later on I lay on the sofa talking to M. We discussed cold water cisterns and Sufism - possibly the only household in the land to manage this particular combination, and that's probably no bad thing. But either of these topics is more engaging than compiling a Tesco's list and deciding whether to order online or go there IRL. Desperate for distractions, I caught sight of a copy of Pi on the shelf.
It's Pi Day today, I said.
What's that?
I have no idea.
[mathematician thinks]
Ah, he said. It's American.
What?
3/14. Pi.
Right.
[non mathematician thinks]
We should have our own, like Mother's Day, on the 31st of, oh. Damn.
Later again (after doing virtual Tesco's - I would do virtual Co-op if they did virtual, I really would) I wikipedia'd it and saw that he was right. However I shall choose instead to mark Pi Approximation Day, which is the more pleasing 22/7.
joella
2 comments:
I don't know if I was having my leg pulled, but apparently there is a Star Wars day on similar grounds - May the Fourth be with you. Some people have too much time on their hands. I mean, so do I but at least I spend mine teasing the dog.
Well for me the primary importance of 17 March is not St Patrick but the birthday of the finest dog ever to trot the earth (now remembrance rather than celebration), so I think you have your priorities right.
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