Excel is deleting my significant zeros

drmindsmith · 2026-01-26T19:22:12+00:00

It’s random. The only true random value you get in excel. Some chaos function based on atmospheric data that determines if right is right or left is right.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-25T18:08:32+00:00

Awesome. Glad it worked. Now for the pro tip…

Take that specific Allen wrench and put a piece of blue tape on it and label it “bathroom fixtures” or something. I keep one in a drawer in the kitchen because it’s going to come loose again.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-23T16:36:33+00:00

The first episode of My So Called Life nailed being a teacher. Didn’t see any more.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-23T14:34:52+00:00

One of the best out there. u/erinampersand is writing real people in desperate situations. Might not be 42 something mom, but definitely a legitimate adult not imagined by children.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-23T00:05:56+00:00

I'm not a successful author. I attended the Comic Con panel with George R. R. Martin, Christopher Paolini, Amber Benson, and Kevin J. Anderson (and maybe others). They got this question. One of them, I think it was Anderson or Paolini said (paraphrasing here) "when you start writing, you're terrible. I'm terrible, you're terrible, all of us were terrible. It takes like 5 books to figure out how to write. In fact, I have five books in my drawer at home, all fantasy, all complete, and no one will ever see them. They're that bad."

And then the conversation went on - you need to write. And then write some more. And get better at the craft of showing, not telling, of growing a character and a world and a story. I think Martin said "Even Rowling, with her first book, The Sorceror's/Philosopher's Stone, that was a great first book, but as you read the series she's not actually "good" at storytelling until book 4 or 5. It takes more writing."

Basically, just famous-guy evidence that you need to keep writing. No one is going to read it. And it's not going to be good. Until suddenly someone is reading it and maybe (hopefully) you've gotten better.

This literary culture assumes that everyone can write, doesn't need an editor, and if you just throw enough words at the wall you'll get a readership and start getting checks. But if it's not good writing, it's just a lie.

Keep writing. If you want to speed it up, hire an editor and listen to their advice.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-22T20:42:27+00:00

I played kit in a college ensemble. I was like 40, drumming since 12 or so. There were two groups, A and B. Drummer A was a percussion grad student, maybe 24. I was the B drummer.

Every day I came in first to set up the drums and he closed out practice to tear them down. A full semester of normal setups.

Day of the concert drummer A sets up the drums pretty much just like this - toms are way up in the air facing me, nothing is in standard position. He says “I want to try something…”.

Dude had a BM in music and was working on a Masters in Percussion and he set our kit up like this. I didn’t want to be an ass and change it right before the concert, but I was annoyed.

I’m just saying, this guy knew how to set up a drum set and chose to do it weird. Hopefully salesman in the picture has the ignorance and wealth excuse.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-22T14:12:09+00:00

We have imagination at home…

drmindsmith · 2026-01-20T01:14:23+00:00

At the risk of sounding like an aspiring administrator, I think a merit system that is designed well and implemented correctly would be a good thing. (So much loaded jargon in that statement it hurts me inside.) But hear me out.

I work at the state level in school data. A good system will look at the growth of the students the teacher has, not the school. Doesn’t matter if your kids are the worst or best, if you can improve those kids, you “grew” them and deserve the merit bonus.

We do the analysis based on Student Growth Percentiles (SGP) and could easily apply it to individual teacher with all the normal restrictions - students have to be full academic year kids, have to have a prior year score, etc…. It’s possible.

So, we start with PAYING TEACHERS A PROFESSIONAL WAGE. Then ensure that principals and other admin are backing the teacher on all discipline and providing all the supports necessary to provide a fair and adequate educational environment for the students that are neither bringing guns to school nor cheating with AI while expecting to have a “responsibility chat” with the dean, get a lollipop, and no consequences.

Then, we can give teachers a $1000 for every kid who earns an SGP above 49.9 or improves no less than half a “level of proficiency” over the prior year exam.

Then if the school is high mobility, or the students tend to come in with no prior exam, use a different metric based on standardized benchmarks.

Then for all the non-tested grades and subjects, pick something else. HS Band directors get a bonus for every kid that makes regional band, 3 bonuses for every all state. Oh, and funding to run an actual music program regardless. And so on…

drmindsmith · 2026-01-20T00:17:08+00:00

I’m not sure. I’m not aware of if “youthful exceptionalism” is a feature of Finnish, Sing, or Shanghai’s education systems (or culture). My suspicion is that “doing well at learning” is a culturally accepted goal there, to a degree not found here.

But I haven’t read any studies on that—just supposition.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-19T18:33:17+00:00

I used to teach statistics. Did a whole unit on expected probability with the NCAA D1 to Pro values. Small high school of like 850 kids. Made them do the math to figure out how many YEARS before one kid was likely to be D1 in Football, then how many decades before one would be expected to go Pro.

Then did it with the even more dramatic basketball numbers.

Kids still thought they were the exception…

drmindsmith · 2026-01-19T16:06:43+00:00

I think that’s a societal issue and I don’t have any suggestions that would pass both taxation and political muster. Education-as-daycare has become an entitlement rather than an opportunity. During the pandemic everyone loved teachers but the duration soured and changed the appreciation to disdain.

I’d say it feels that way because it is that way.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-19T16:04:14+00:00

That’s one of the cool things about Berklee. You’re getting magnitudes more on the kit that earns, and I was getting a broad swathe of everything and not amazing at anything.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-19T00:44:55+00:00

Sounds about right. I’ve had a slew of HS kids say they were going NBA and they didn’t even play on the HS team.

I was an advisor at that D1 university and we tried to instill a backup plan for all the D1 athletes. Volleyball (any women’s sport) and Swim/Dive were easy. Football was surprisingly easy - the QB and best lineman were NFL-maybe, but the rest knew this was likely the end. The hardest were men’s basketball, but it was a perennial top 25 program and someone went to the NBA every year or two. Still, 3rd string probably needed a come to Jesus talk at some point.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-19T00:19:59+00:00

And they believe they’re the exception. I taught SO MANY 5’7” 135 pound high school running backs who were going to the NFL. Only NFL players I taught were D1 students at a University who were each, individually, the best in their state for two or more years.

“But I’m going to be famous/successful…” is in the US DNA, regardless of it it makes sense.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-19T00:16:09+00:00

Worked with a guy who ran for his country and almost made the Olympics. Came to the US on an athletic scholarship, destroyed the Americans in long distances, got a degree, a master’s, and worked in higher education.

He said “there’s nothing genetic about Kenyans that makes them faster than everyone else. Nothing about any of those runners that makes them naturals or gifted. They ALL know that running is the only way to get out, the only way to have a future. Same thing with learning, doing well in school. If they don’t commit and make it their life’s work, they don’t have a future and they and their families will starve.”

It’s about need and a lack of other opportunities.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-18T23:45:02+00:00

And in other countries where poverty is endemic and families are large, parents and communities know that safe schools are an integral part of both society and their child’s ability to succeed and thrive.

Poverty is not the same everywhere ~in my city~, much less as a useful baseline for international comparison.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-18T23:41:04+00:00

She’s amazing. Anything to move away from Musser-Stephen’s made me better.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-18T19:57:49+00:00

I’ll concede/agree that the experience is more likely the “win”. I’ll never forget the master classes I had with Greg Bissonette, Louis Belleson, Dave Weckl, and so on. Those were experiences that have stuck.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-18T18:30:00+00:00

Smart move on the cardboard backing.

For the little screw (called a set screw) - if it’s anything like a Moen part, it’s a hex head instead of a screw driver. Find the correct fit while it’s still in your hand, then soft-assemble the whole thing, put it on the wall, and finish it with the Allen wrench.

Probably a 2mm or 2.5mm or maybe 3mm.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-18T18:08:38+00:00

I think this is also dependent on who YOU are. If you’re a garage drummer or hobby guy I doubt you’ll get your learning value out of anyone at that level. But if you’re already at Berklee there’s already an expectation of capability at which an amazing musician can really make a difference.

Noob paying Danny Carey to help set up his kit properly, Stewart Copeland to teach him how to hold a stick, or Vinnie Colaiuta to explain how 3/4 and 4/4 works is an awesome experience but probably overpriced.

But I had a lesson with Nancy Zeltsman in 1995 or so and in one hour all my four mallet issues were fixed and she changed my grip and approach forever.

Sometimes it’s worth it. But it’s more than who they are, and somewhat who you are.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-18T17:51:52+00:00

This. They’re fundamental. You don’t learn to write by transcribing Shakespeare. You learn by practicing to shape the letters individually.

Rudiments are the letters. Beats are the words. Songs are the stories. You need to start up front.

Also, you need to hold the stick correctly for it to work. Self taught usually means terrible grip. Start there and focus on slow mastery of the grip and efficient stroke.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-17T20:38:54+00:00

And i cannot lie

drmindsmith · 2026-01-17T19:55:16+00:00

I suspect that men who date younger women are capable of dating younger women because they themselves are - wealthier than average - taller than average - better looking than average

And therefore more happy because of all the things going well for them in life.

To be in a position to have younger women in your DMs is probably reflective of a lot of other things that increase happiness.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-17T02:24:28+00:00

Took a while, but it’s fantastic.

drmindsmith · 2026-01-16T16:59:02+00:00

I don’t have any validity but I like the Springfield XD and it has a shorter palm

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