I went to an engineering school but majored in Financial Systems - stocks and bonds. My financial approach is limited to the standard 401K path of most other professional people my age - so the formal part of the education didn't really go many places. I consider myself the financial equivalent of an "IT professional - money under the mattress" guy. The 401K is obviously better than a mattress, but I don't "manage" my money real well beyond that just yet.I do however, occassinally speak like an engineer. It has drawn comments from multiple audiences in my personal and career walks of life. I use the term "delta" and this is a sure fire way to move the conversation into me trying to explain to someone what RPI is. I prefer the stock phrase: It's like MIT but better.
Anyway. Headed to Salt Lake City, UT today. The temperature delta is 30 degrees. This was just a really long winded way of saying I am actually looking forward to the cold.
4 comments:
I use the term "delta" quite a bit. I also talk about things in terms of "order of magnitude" and that is consequence of a strong focus on algorithm analysis. I also tend to throw in principles from my economics focus (which I never took very seriously) like "law of diminishing marginal utility", "opportunity cost", and "sunk costs".
Like you am not a real engineer either, just one of the software variety. I do from time to time start counting from 0 (maybe more the CS geek in me) and I cross my sevens and zeros.
cool hand: "marginal utility" - That's a good one. And doesn't everyone start counting at 0?
e.d.s: CM has a new album out. I stopped buying there stuff though...it has gone the way of the shark
Will only uses terms like "delta" in order to distinguish himself from other RPI-ers in his major which utilize complex technical terms such as "icing", "slashing", "toe drag", "stick save", and "big red freakout". At least we all know that there is "one minute left and Clarkson still sucks"
Now now Bill, don't forget the football players in my major as well.
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