It was my brother the mathematician who pointed out that math is one thing, calculation another. So those who consider themselves "mathematically challenged" may only suffer from problems with numbers, and in my case I am convinced that this started for me in first or second grade with poor teaching in arithmetic class. However, I am musical, love to solve problems, tend toward logical thinking--in effect, with the same family genetics as that brother of mine. I grasp at finding the poetry and music in mathematics, which he has spent his life knowing.
As for boys and lacemaking, my experience is that they take to it more readily than do girls, at first anyway. There are lots of reasons for that, but among them might be their immediately logical way of thinking and their ability to focus more single-mindedly. (Generalizing as usual, my besetting sin...) I am always interested when demonstrating at lace events to see that a women might look and comment and pass on by, while a man will often stand there quietly observing, nod his head, and say "Yes, that makes sense" before going on his way. This discussion has gone on for a while, which shows how much we are trying to understand why we make lace. It is for me the most interesting and challenging of the textile crafts. Tess ([email protected]) who awoke this morning at thunder and rain, breaking the terrible heat of the last week or more. We in Maine USA are not used to this and hope it won't come back. - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
