This morning after breakfast, Debbie and I were discussing the financial services bailout package currently under consideration in Congress. Debbie said, “It’s what? 700 trillion?” When I replied, “700 billion,” she said, “Billion. Trillion. What’s the difference?” Katie Rose was getting ready for school, and said from the hallway, “One is 12 zeros and the other is 9 zeros,” while at the same time I was saying from the kitchen, “Three orders of magnitude.”
Such is Debbie’s life these days. There have been several other instances in the last year in which her offhanded comments were logically deconstructed in the same manner at the same time by both her husband and her 11-year-old daughter, much to her exasperation. I find it amusing, as well as somewhat gratifying to see my thought processes reflected so strongly in Katie Rose. Ever since she was an infant, it has been obvious she was my daughter. Not only does she have my blonde hair, blue eyes, and freckles, but little moments like the one above have shown similarities that run far beneath the surface.