The point is, just when I thought I'd proven my 6th grade math teacher--who I blame for my ineptitude in math to this day, and who I, as an 11-year-old, boy-crazy mean-girl utterly despised --wrong by not ever using math at all in real life (except when I still count the number of months or years that have gone by on my fingers...)...Alas mathematic equations come in handy for today's blog post.
The Equations of Life
While running (jogging [with a soft "j" [thanks]]) outside at Hanes Park today this evening after work, my mind wandered and somehow stumbled upon the following simple yet highly relevant mathematic equations that I believe will shape my life for the next....month/year/[insert other duration here].
***NOTE: This is the point in the elementary/middle school math assignment when you pull out your 3x5 flash cards--neon colored if you're as awesome as I was as a kid--and furiously scribble these equations on individual cards. Yes. This will be on the test. Commit these to memory.***
Ready? Set! Go!
- School > Work. This true no matter what type of job you have. Period.
- Learning > Doing. The learning process brings about the ultimate level of satisfaction. Once a fact, procedure or theory is "learned" it loses all importance. Therefore, always endeavor to be engaged in learning.
- Outside > Inside. This equation is not absolute in that, there are certain and specific (limited) situations where inside is better. Those specific and limited circumstances are not, however, referenced here. So, for all intents and purposes, any activity that can be done outside should be done there whenever possible. This possibility, of course, is non-existent when the temperature outside is below 59 degrees.
- Serious < Silly. Being serious is necessary at times. Even appropriate at times. Yet, being silly is magnitudes better than being serious. Endeavor to be silly as often as practicable. Regardless of whether others are amused (unless the "others" can fire you from a job that you'd like to keep). Be silly. Never apologize for it. Or if you have to apologize, do it much later, by saying "I'm sorry you're not as silly as I am."
- Toddlers > Teenagers. Toddlers are amazing. Like, they are the best kids ever. Fact. I love toddlers. I also love kids under the age of 12. Between 12 and like...19--it's really hit or miss. But I digress. Toddlers are where it's at.
- Music = Supreme Happiness. This equation is but a truism. It needs no explanation.
- Tattoos >>>>. No. This equation is not incomplete. This is just a fact. Don't listen to people who tell you that when you're old you'll regret it. You wont. Unless you're a moron and tattooed sponge bob on you or something like that. Then maybe you'll regret it. Most likely though, you'll just have an ever-present reminder of the person you were when you opted to let someone engrave your skin with needles and ink in the name of art, individuality (LOL) and personality.... or why-ever you got them.
- Self-love =
All other love. Loving yourself is the key to loving life, and is the root from which you gain the ability to ever love another person in any substantial and lasting manner. If you cannot accept yourself as you are, how will you ever accept another person? If you are unlovable even to yourself, how can you expect to be lovable to someone else? Endeavor to love yourself the way you hope to be loved by someone else.
... Ok. Pencils down. And for those of you whose math teachers were < than mine:
> "Greater than"
< "Less than"
= "Equals"
And there it is. Math in real life.
