Writers should not have to do math. Ever. Today was a 12 hour work day of wrestling with numbers and the goofy computer program and everyone who is sure that whatever the problem is is really someone else’s fault. Tomorrow is more of the same. And the next. Because it is that horrible time in the corporate world called “end of the quarter.” Any time I had a chance to catch my breath today I tried to find a way to link something I was doing to writing. It was tough. I was dealing with money. Money to the writer-me meant it was still three months until my next royalty statement. I tried to think about the WIP but instead I had to calculate the extended prices of pogo blocks and wonder why three different reports gave me three different answers. I tried to come up with a name for a character in another WIP and all I managed was to confirm the name needed three syllables.
Aha! And I remembered the pattern of three. That basic core patten that goes back to the Three Little Pigs, The Three Bears, Three Blind Mice. I’m sure you can go on and name some more. Kids like the pattern of three. They like the feeling of knowing what is coming next or THAT something should come next. It makes them feel like they are reading even before they can read. The predictability is comforting to them.
As for me, I’ll take comfort that back at work tomorrow, 2+2 will still make four. I hope.
I am very, very math challenged. I think by choice, but that’s another story. Maybe I should write a book called I HATE MATH!
Your workday is somewhat related to a recent gripe of mine–why can’t people (who work with the public) at least pretend to like their jobs? Put on a happy face? At least you found a way to make it enjoyable! In college, when I worked as a gas station cashier, I made a game of trying to make this grumpy old man crack a smile. I tried all summer, and near the end of school break, he finally laughed and talked to me. Playing mental games definitely makes work go faster!
I bet you could get tons of writers to write about the ways they hate math. I’m with you on pretending to like your job….fake it. I don’t work with the public but even so I wish a lot of the people around me could realize that if they would just try to lighten up for a minute or two it would help them destress which would translate into calm around them which would mean people would get along better and be more productive. I look around my cubicle right now and I have copies of all my books, a basket of toys, a magic wand that makes a neat noise. And of course a Magic 8 ball for making all those “important” decisions in life.
another plus to LJ
Another plus to LJ…I get a nifty email when LJ users reply to a post. Really enhances communication. I love the way your new home looks (and, great office pic, BTW). As far as the look, I think it’s one of the prettiest Live Journals (that was my big gripe–they usually aren’t too pretty!)
Re: another plus to LJ
I agree. Susan, the colors here are so pretty! I love the shade of green on top (and the lemon lettering 🙂
I like math! 🙂
Don’t like balancing the books and filing my taxes and stuff, but that’s a different thing. Number theory, especially, is cool stuff
Janni, who will one day tackle Calculus again, just to get it right this time