3 vs 3.5 ~ Distinct Difference

Okay, this is a blast from the past that I have to put in the blog.

It was less than a year ago - January 2008, when we learned the very distinct significance of 0.5. Yes, as engineers, this is something that both of us should know. While the decimal ~ 0.5 is one of the easiest to deal with and thought to be the most understood of the decimals, the impact of such a small number was not known until the letter P.

Now that you are thoroughly confused let me lay out the details.

Our daughter was in preschool at the time. Each week of the school year they focus on a letter. This particular week the focus was the letter P. Being the challenging type, I threw a curve to her - Phoenix. Why not, we had just been there 3 weeks before.

So to set this up, it is night, our daughter is brushing her teeth, I am single parenting for this week again, as her Dad is north for work. She just finished the last rinse and spit all the while I am talking to her about the letter P. We ran through the typical - Pig, Play, Party, Pancake, Pizza, Princess, etc. Easy.... puh, puh, pig; puh, puh, play; puh, puh, you get the idea. Then Phoenix rises and becomes a challenge of Mom vs. Daughter (part 4,523,876).

I mention that Phoenix is one of those crazy English words, though it sounds like F - fuh, fuh, Phoenix, it really starts with a P. It is the Ph that makes the fuh sound. This is followed by gears grinding and a three year old quizzical look. A few seconds pass and it is now time for my schooling.

3 yr old: "No, Phoenix starts with f. Fuh, fuh, fenix."
Mom: "I know that it sounds like F but it really is a P. There are many crazy things in our language that just won't make sense or follow the rules. Phoenix starts with P."
3 yr old: "Fuh, fuh, fenix. No, it starts with f. Puh, puh, pig starts with P."
Mom: "Okay, I am sorry I brought it up, we are both tired but Phoenix does start with P, trust me please."
3 yr old: "Ugh, it doesn't. It doesn't sound like P. Puh, puh, fuh, fuh."
Mom: "Look, I am 30 years old and you are 3, I am telling you Phoenix starts with P."
Short pause, gears again grinding.... hands on hips, head shake with attitude...
3 yr old: "I am NOT 3, I am 3 and a half!"

Well, I'll be, if I didn't look it up I never would have realized that Phoenix really is spelled with an F (at least at our household - where we no longer round off the decimal!)