Animated illustration of the galley method of long division (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There are 122 entries that start with X in my 2,059 page Random House Dictionary of the English Language—the unabridged edition. It is half the size of my house. Admittedly, I do not live in a big house—but it is one whopping big dictionary.
There are only two pages of Xs in the book, with four entries dedicated to just X. My two favourites are:
1. “an unknown quantity or variable.”
2. “a sign used at the end of letters, telegrams etc., to indicate a kiss”
I am not sure why the first definition is a favourite, as I equate it with the point at which I started to no longer understand math. Give me fractions, decimals, long division, multiplication, division, even statistics—but once we got into 4 + x = y + 2, the game was over.
Now how much more sweet can a letter be that ends with the sign for a kiss? I love to see a bunch of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxs at the end of the very infrequent emails I get from my youngest son. So far, since he has been back at school I have received two emails from him—the first perfunctory and sensible, but the second melted my heart. (I, of course send him emails every day—is that the sound of a helicopter overhead?) I cannot share the second one with you, because then it would be grounds for killing me (and no judge would find him guilty).
But know that I have saved it, and look at it when I feel crummy. It was that good.
On the Homefront 
Wow, that long division thing is kind of freaking me out. :). I hate math so I like the other x — the one that you mentioned. And I like this post. Here you go: xxoo. :).
I am charmed x0x0
Sealed With a Kiss
I loved this – I remember this song so vividly–I was just a little girl but my brothers were teenagers so this song is a big part of my children – “send you all my dreams in a letter” – truly swoon worthy
I am quite impressed with your animated long division… did you do that?!!!! WOW
Woodpress provides these when you do a post – you can just click on something that goes with the subject of your post – wish I could claim the creativity
I’m glad you didn’t choose to talk about the negative X. The X that is the symbol for something done incorrectly. In grade 2 (first time around) I saw a lot of Xs.
oh – I don’t like that x either – I saw a few of those in grade 11, the first time around
Awww, I’m so glad you got the special email from your son!! It just goes to show that they do have hearts. They just only choose to show them once in a while :).
my son so rarely responds to my emails that I am shocked when he does – he prefers the telephone
I look forward to getting the second kind of emails. Right now, I get a lot of “awww, but Moooooooom”.
they are rare and few and far between
My daughter almost always signs here emails xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo…especially when she’s in a loving mood! xoxoxoxoxo to you, LouAnn!
thanks sweet Kathy xoxoxoxoxo to you too!
What a perfect X post.
Thanks Teresa xxxooo
Cute post. I check my son’s FB every now and then if he hasn’t called me in months – so I just checked and saw that his girlfriend and him visited a wedding chapel of sorts!! But, checking further, it was a friend of theirs that got married. But at least I know he is okay 🙂
♥♥♥ (I like these better than x0x0) Of course if you sent them to your son he may feel they’re too mushy!
oh, I send him mushy stuff–he tells me not to send the emoticons or whatever they are–but I still do
I am not on FB so do not have this avenue
Haha forget long division, signed with kisses forever! 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
have you ever used long division outside the classroom? I do not think I have used it forever–that is what calculators are for 🙂
I love the Xs too 🙂 So glad I’m not the only one!
xoxo
you are definitely not the only one 🙂
Here’s a big X for you.
back atcha XXXPeg
Ahoy Lou Ann!
X marks th’ spot fer th’ hidden treasure too 😉
xoxo
that is true–never thought of that!
Lovely post! XXX to you too 🙂
thank you and XXX to you 🙂
I never had issues with x’s (and o’s) until Gossip Girl came along and started doing the “xoxo, Gossip Girl” thing. Sorry for the tangent, I just had to share.
In any case, x kisses are much more preferred than math x’s. 😉
xxx
I am not that familiar with Gossip Girl–and yes kiss xs are better than math xs
How precious that your son still sends such emails. I too love the xxx(kiss form) and use them in my texts to my kids all the time and they back to me. It does lift the heart doesn’t it.
yes they do “lift the heart”–what a wonderful way to express it
Isn’t it amazing how the bond changes when a kiddo goes off to school. Almost adult, but wising they were still needing us like kids? We used to have a code for “I love you,” so I could say it at school and not embarass him. Now he says it to me…without the code. 🙂
now that is growth–I like though that you had a code for it–kind of just something between him and you
Cheers to simple post about a complex letter. 🙂
thank you 🙂
some days I can only do simple
But heck … you took the time to count the x words. 🙂
I did, didn’t I? — ha ha