Sweet, sweet memories

C6 H12 O6 is the chemical formula for glucose, and the simplest form of carbohydrates. More complex carbohydrates are built on that base, and enzymes in our saliva break down those complex carbohydrate (flour, grains etc.) to get to the slightly sweet taste. Or something like that – I don’t feel like verifying every detail now, but I skimmed through the Wikipedia entry again and think it’s about right.

I remember this stuff from school, I think. I always had an affinity for biology, even though I didn’t like chemistry one bit. Back in high school I was very busy telling myself that I wasn’t any good at math and, by extension, chemistry and physics. It just didn’t seem to come naturally to me, and thus meant that I automatically sucked at it. Which is nonsense, of course. As I got older I realized that with just a bit of effort, all this stuff can be learned.  I really should have known back in school, when I completely screwed up a chemistry test on acids and got the first and only F that I ever got – just to study for the follow-up test and get a resounding A. Maybe it rung a little bell at the time, but the young mind has powerful way means of self-persuasion. I. Just. Wasn’t. Good. At. It. Okay mom??? *pout*

What has me puzzled is why I remember this kind of stuff out of nowhere. This whole glucose chemical formula thing came to me on my way to work this morning – and I started digging deeper and deeper into my brain until I was satisfied. Maybe I was thinking about my brother and that brough it on – he is doing this (and much more complicated stuff) as a job now. Regardless, it was fun remembering this stuff, no matter how rudimentary and filled with holes the information. I think the reccognition that school was good for something is just a good feeling, especially as you get older. I might still be smarter than a 5th grader, and when I have kids I might, just might, still be able to help them with some homework. Until then, I’ll wait for other random tidbits to enter my brain while I’m cruising on the road. Who knows, something interesting might come of it.