The shame of it all...

Sigh.

I had to do it. I had to drop my math class.

It was just SOOO much work. It stopped being fun and became an adrenalin-driven chore. I really really wished that it could work out, but to do justice to the subject and to myself would have have meant that I would have to devote more time to homework and studying. To what end?

I don't know how single-parent families manage to complete high-school night courses. Or, for that matter, older adults who decide to return to high school so they can get their diploma.

So what did I learn from this?

Well, I learned that (a) I have a deep interest in math; (b) I can learn it if I decide to take the time to review my materials and do my homework; (c) math is fundamental to any science. (I know that this is a no-brainer, but there are so many applications! No wonder anything that is of use is founded in math - and that includes art). In fact, I'd venture that if one is well versed in mathematics, that this will open doors into the other sciences.

Math is great exercise for the mind. I'm sure this comes as no surprise to many people, but it was a surprise to me. It uses a different side of the brain, I'm sure. For some reason, the beauty of math reminds me of some lyrics from "Lined Up" by Shriekback (if you remember the 80's):

Lined Up

Tired of all this crawling around
Realising the joke was on us
Reaching out to the obvious
Starting with an answer not a question
Our most acceptable businesses
All aligned in just one direction
Organised on the same lines
With one face - one side

We got all lined up
We got all lined up
We got all lined up
All lined up
All lined up

Back at the all night party
We're getting clearer all the time
Refined to one shape - frozen like crystal
It has the symmetry of perfect design
One line leads to another
They cross at the corners run straight at the sides
It reads the same way in any direction
Two red circles and a thick black spine

We got all lined up
We got all lined up
We got all lined up
All lined up
All lined up

Let it fall into place
We could tie it to a tree
We could point it at you
We could make it a habit
We could leave it outside or
We could give it our full understand it or we could ignore it
Holding all our past in the one hand
We showed those people in a way they understand
Shiny little eyes on a big red bus
The ones we point at work for us
One sharp point between distinction
Going this way for X amount of time
Frame - line - and convergence
From the first to the final
This intention is mine

We got all lined up
We got all lined up
We got all lined up
All lined up
All lined up

Go figure.