• Who am I?

    I am Qrystal; or at least, that's my dot-name! Har har. (My name is really Crystal, but that's not as internet-searchable; hence, switching the C for the little-used letter Q.)

    I am here because I enjoy writing. I do this mostly for myself, but I also have a passion for helping others learn things from the things I write. Now that I am done my Ph.D. in Physics, I am stepping away from academic research so that I can indulge in some creative ways to share my knowledge and inspire the appreciation of scientific thinking in others. I am also working as a tutor, which is one of the jobs I've most enjoyed doing in my life so far.


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  • MacGyver builds a hot air balloon from scratch

    Posted by Qrystal on July 12, 2008 at 13:35.
    Category: Miscellany. Tags: humour, problem solving.

    Quote from List of problems solved by MacGyver – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
    MacGyver builds a hot air balloon from scratch to escape from a Soviet search party. The balloon was made of homemade super-glue, old clothes, a parachute, welding equipment, a refrigerator, condoms, and metal box.

    –MacGyver, Season 3: “GX-1” (3×06)
    I’ve [...] Continue Reading…

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    Online Writing Resources

    Posted by Qrystal on July 12, 2008 at 12:59.
    Category: Advice. Tags: grammar, writing.

    I hope to add to this list eventually, as I find more sites like the one below!  Suggestions are welcome!

    The Purdue University Online Writing Lab seems to have a lot of valuable resources, including a fantastic Verb Tense Chart to help distinguish between various verb tenses.  I had [...] Continue Reading…

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    5 Ways to Handle Chronic Procrastination

    Posted by Qrystal on July 11, 2008 at 20:28.
    Category: Advice. Tags: determination, problem solving, procrastination.

    Link: 5 Ways to Handle Chronic Procrastination

    Step #1: Take Action.  (Don’t just acknowledge and ignore the problem!)

    Step #2: Find the Root.  (Search your feelings.)

    Step #3: Set Goals. (Determination can conquer procrastination!)

    Step #4: Be Realistic. (Plan, but plan for breaks too.)

    Step #5: Review. (Reward yourself, and prevent regression.)

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    Quote on Mathematical Beauty

    Posted by Qrystal on July 10, 2008 at 12:43.
    Category: Concepts. Tags: beauty, math.

    To those who do not know mathematics it is difficult to get across a real feeling as to the beauty, the deepest beauty, of nature … If you want to learn about nature, to appreciate nature, it is necessary to understand the language that she speaks in.
    — Richard Phillips Feynman

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    Dangerous cosmetics

    Posted by Qrystal on July 9, 2008 at 19:47.
    Category: Advice. Tags: eco-friendly.

    I don’t wear makeup often, and nail polish only rarely.  Now I’ve got good reason to avoid most nail polishes:  there are three dangerous chemicals to avoid, according to Green Living Online!

    Today, I am shopping for a friend of mine who I *know* will be at least as concerned as [...] Continue Reading…

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    My Aztec Daysign

    Posted by Qrystal on July 9, 2008 at 19:19.
    Category: Miscellany. Tags: fun.

    I’m mildly amused by the Aztec Daysign for the date of my birth, and the description of its meaning:

    “Xochitl is a day for creating beauty and truth, especially that which speaks to the heart who knows it will one day cease to beat. Xochitl reminds us that life, like [...] Continue Reading…

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    Twitter is Measuring its Improvements

    Posted by Qrystal on July 8, 2008 at 18:53.
    Category: Miscellany. Tags: twitter.

    I am really pleased with the efforts of the twitter staff in providing their users with constant updates — not to mention, the improved service! Here’s an abbreviated version of a recent post on their twitterstatus tumblog, entitled “Measurable Improvements”:
    …[Twitter] page response times have significantly improved in the [...] Continue Reading…

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    Let Language Evolve!

    Posted by Qrystal on June 25, 2008 at 16:17.
    Category: Miscellany. Tags: grammar.

    Can we just clear this up now: the word `data’, in english, is a singular mass noun. It is thus a grammatical and stylistic error to use it as a plural. Plural use is barbaric: amongst other crimes, it is a deliberate archaism, and thus a symptom of bad [...] Continue Reading…

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    What is “Now”?

    Posted by Qrystal on June 25, 2008 at 2:40.
    Category: Concepts. Tags: now.

    “Now” is the name of the place we inhabit.
    The Inevitable Dilemma of Now at HaveMacWillBlog (aka Robin Bloor’s Blog)

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    Perspective of Age

    Posted by Qrystal on June 24, 2008 at 11:15.
    Category: Concepts. Tags: age, perspective.

    Anything invented before you were 18 has been there forever, anything that turns up before you’re 30 is new and exciting, and anything after that is a threat to the world and must be destroyed.
    Jim Griffin (via tneilen)

    I really hope this isn’t true, because I’m gonna be thirty soon.  [...] Continue Reading…

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