He, Literally, Wrote the Book

I haven't talked much about my math class lately. Mostly because it's been extremely mind numbing. We're in-between tests and the material hasn't been very challenging even when I haven't been a few chapters ahead. However, now, we're getting into Trigonometry instead of Algebra. And although you'd think my spacial reasoning would put me in good stead here, truth is, I've never been comfortable with Trig. I think it stems from the Trig class I took in high school. For whatever reason, I paid absolutely no attention to it. To the point where I'm still not sure how I managed to pass that class. Because it's not like I was studying or anything.

Well, anyway, today it felt like yet another wasted class session. Our teacher came in, lectured for half an hour, and then told us we could go. That's, you know, not exactly what I'm paying for in a two hour class session. However, that half an hour was probably more informative than any other class session so far. And I think I really got some of the key, fundamental Trig concepts that were escaping me in my own, private studies. It's kind of a shame. You see, our normal professor was out today and we had, in his place, a substitute. When he told us his name, I took a quick look at the cover of my textbook and, sure enough, he was one of the two people who actually wrote it. And, needless to say, he really knew the material.

I wanted to jokingly ask him if I found an error in the textbook would he give me a refund. Because, you know, I've noticed one or two already. And I thought textbooks were outrageously priced back when I was originally in college even when it wasn't my money. I mean, I have some familiarity with the publishing industry so I know how expensive it is to manufacture a book like that. And given all the parties involved how little profit is being made with each unit and all. I just wanted to speak with him and crack a joke because he seemed pretty cool – the kind of teacher that I used to like getting to know better. But he had to get to his actual class so he let us go early and I didn't get the chance. Turns out he wasn't at all prepared to come in and teach us but he'd noticed at the last minute that our teacher wasn't there and just lectured off the top of his head. Pretty awesome, if you ask me. But, man, next class when our regular professors returns is going to really suck.