Translation is the Art of Failure

Picture of the Day

What is the difference between these two books? They are both called Mechanics of Materials and both by some fellow named R.C. Hibbeler. If you were to say one is a dirty yellow and the other a steely blue, you would be right but that is not the answer I am looking for. If you were to say one is the 7th edition and the other is the 8th edition, you would also be right, but again that is not what I am looking for.

The difference between these two books is one hundred and thirty dollars.

I found out that it didn't matter which edition we had and that night came back, printed a return label for the 8th edition and ordered the 7th.

Story of the Day

I have two roommates. One named Rafa, from Spain, and the other named Shaowei, from Hong Kong. Recently Shaowei's wife received a visa to come to the United States and after one year of being married, long distance, they finally get to live in the same place.

I just happen to share that space. And this is my story.

Shaowei is a PhD candidate in advanced physics and as such, is in the lab almost all day. K_____, his wife, just got to the United States and has no occupation that I know of. From what I can tell she is their room all day and only comes out at meal times to make food (side note: have you ever seen Chinese bread?). I don't know what she does with her time but since I work from home, it is just the two of us in the apartment for most of the day. Still, I only see her at meal times.

Today, after my required eight hours of work. I had hardly moved from my desk and was in desperate need to stretch my legs. It was about 5:30PM and as such, K_____ was in the kitchen making dinner for herself and Shaowei.

As I was on my way out I stopped and said "Hi." The conversation that followed went like this:

K_: Hi John. Where are you going?

Me: I am going for a walk.

K_: Oh a wa... what?

Me: A WalK.

(Pause)

K_: Oh a walk.

          Have fun on your walk.

Me: Thank you I will. I like your dress by the way.

(she was wearing a summery dress with flowers and a lot of ruffles, it was a cute dress but this compliment was my first mistake)

K_: Oh. Sorry, what?

Me: I like your Dress.

K_: Sorry, I don't understand.

Me: Your Dress. What you are wearing. 

(I fan my hands out and pull them across my body)

Me: Your Dress.

(pause)

K_: Oh, I see.

              You like my chest.

Me: (crap)