# (Super-)Powers of 2

Driving in to work this morning, I suddenly felt my vision go blurry to the point where I literally couldn’t see anything. Fortunately, I was able to pull off the road into the parking lot of a small office building before causing an accident. After I stopped and waited for the blurriness to subside, the first thing I saw was the mailbox for the office building, which had a street number of: 2048. Rather than wonder what the crap was wrong with my eyesight, or frantically try to decide whether to go see a doctor on the spot, instead the first thing I thought was hey: That’s $2^{11}$

Then, after making it to work with no more blurry vision attacks, I walked up to my office — the same office I have been entering and exiting since summer 2001 — and looked at the office number and saw it: room 128. Of course, I’ve never had a problem remembering my office number But for the first time in seven years, I noticed, hey: that’s $2^{7}$

So, maybe the blurry vision attack was me suddenly gaining the superhero power of being able to recognize powers of 2 with lightning quickness. If so, I somehow don’t see the Justice League of America saving me a seat anytime soon.

Filed under Geekhood, Math, Personal

### 6 responses to “(Super-)Powers of 2”

1. Corey

Ouch, it sounds like you’re having an episode out of Pi. Try staring at the sun a little less.

2. Please tell me you went to see the doctor. The superhero power is useful, especially to a math guy, but the blurry vision thing will keep you from seeing them.

3. virusdoc

TIA. Small stroke. Go see a doctor ASAP. If it was a TIA, the first won’t be the last.

4. virusdoc