Monday 14 May 2007

A Promise

Let's hear it for Dan.

1. He's just had a baby with his wife.
2. He's got a new job and actually enjoys it.
3. He can recite pi to 20 decimal places (as can I).
4. He has a wry sense of humour. Wry.
5. He's 'one of us'.

I really do find increasingly there are two types of people in this world. Its something about trust. Decency. Humour is an important bonus. It's something about curiosity as well I think, (as in interest in the world not as in additional toes or lumpy eyebrows, for example). Oh and reliability. I recently asked him to work out some odds for me and within minutes a complex spreadsheet came back, which told me the probability of one of my exam topics not coming up was 17%.

Whatever it is, he's got it. There are not that many former colleagues I can say that about. That's why, today I am proud to call Dan a friend*.

So, this one's for you Dan.

* As well as technical adviser to my nascent blog and business.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a very well-researched, astute and accurate post, Robert. Very good work. A few points to note:

- For what it's worth, I'm curious both of additional toes and lumpy eyebrows
- I found out Friday that the 21st decimal place of pi is "2"
- I believe decimal places 37 through 40 are "1971"
- Those last two bullets had Americanisms in there just for you
- And finally, let us be clear: if any of the 17 chances out of 100 materialise, I am, in no way, responsible for any associated lack of revision.

Anonymous said...

I feel physically sick. Please tell me sarcasm is alive and well?

Anonymous said...

And by the way, when did you stop asking me for odds??

Rob said...

See previous reply.

*Further hand holding up*

Anonymous said...

So I'm going to second you on this Rob.

Dan's a good guy - willing to say what he thinks and stand by it - which doesn't mean you agree with it, but you know where you are with him.

More than anything he just seems to have an enthusiasm for life and for whatever he's doing at the time.

And when I get round to it, I know of a neat engraving in a tunnel that shows pi to over 100 decimal places - I'll get a picture and post it to Dan.... I'm sure he'll pass it on.