Basic Instructions by Scott Meyer for March 24, 2025

7734 upside down.

I’m bad at maths too. Yesterday I told someone about how three of us went to the movies, then I named the three people and I wasn’t one of them. I think that means there were four of us, although it’s entirely possible that they went without me and I didn’t notice.

I wouldn’t say I NEED a calculator for basic subtraction, I’m just at an age where conservation of brain cells is more of a concern than it used to be.

Stop the average person on the street and ask them, “What is 7 times 8?” The usual response I get is, “Who cares?”

I didn’t get much out of “That ’70s Show.” The episodes I saw mostly looked like they could have taken place in the ’90s.

I made a similar mistake with “Reminiscing” by the Little River Band (1978). I really liked it, but at the time I thought it was odd that they mentioned “ancient” musicians like Glen Miller and Cole Porter. “Night and Day” came out in 1933, but was popular for years, so let’s say the dance they sing about was in 1942, so that would be 36 years earlier. I was thinking, “How old are these guys?”

Then some years ago, when it was played on the oldies station, I got to thinking, 36 years ago would be like, um…being nostalgic about “Reminiscing” in 2014.

So yes indeed, mathematical proof that I am old. I feel your pain, Rick…

I hate AI with a passion. This coming from a guy with laptops, iPads, desktop computers, and an iPhone.