What's in a Number?

Back in college, I used to think there was a clear-cut distinction between the people who chose to major in the arts, and those who chose to major in the sciences.  It wasn't a deep or complicated thought process, just a simple interpretation of what I saw.  

Good Will Hunting

Math and science people like to work with numbers and equations: they like things to be clear and precise, black and white. Numbers provide stability, security.  No matter what else may be chaotic in their lives, they can always count on the fact that 5x5=25, or that a²+b²=c². There is comfort in that certainty.

Old woman or young lady?

Artsy people, on the other hand, prefer the shades of gray (or whatever other colors they choose to work with).  They find different ways to interpret what they see, usually as a reflection of some aspect of themselves.  They are ruled more by their hearts than their heads, which can be both more rewarding and more painful.

Choose You

When we're in a good mood, we can always find a silver lining, no matter how cloudy the situation.  When we're in a crummy mood, we always find the clouds in the sunniest of skies.  I guess it's a reflection of my mixed emotions, then, that I seem to be noticing both lately.  I'm truly appreciative of the positive things in my life, but there's always a flip side.

I got an e-mail the other day from one of the higher-ups at my new job.  It wasn't just to me, but to everyone in the region. Basically, she was cancelling an upcoming staff meeting because there was some other stuff going on that was keeping everyone busy, so the meeting would be "difficult to fit in."  That in and of itself was enough to make me do a double-take.  In most (all?) of the places I've worked at before, there was no such thing as cancelling a meeting because we were busy; we'd just have to find a way to do more in less time.  This time, though, it wasn't even in response to a complaint (that I'm aware of); it was just her understanding what everyone is doing and caring about the people more than the product.  How cool is that?  

But that was only the beginning of the email.  The next thing she said had me completely floored.  I had to re-read it several times, and when I'd fully absorbed it, I forwarded it to a few people.  I had to show off ... and now, I guess, I'm doing it again.  What she said was:

Writer's Block

I have no idea what to write ... so that's what I'm gonna write.

When I was a teacher, I used to make my kids do free association writing all the time: "just let your mind go wherever your pen takes it," I told them.  "You'd be amazed at the things that come out, that you had no idea you were thinking about in the first place."  So, I'm just writing (ok, typing), and let's see where my keyboard takes me.

Mixed Emotions

That's kinda how I've been feeling the past few days. I think that's fairly common whenever we make big changes in our lives, but it still gets to me a little bit.  

When we finally reach the point that we decide it's time to move on, we know how very necessary that move is. We know all the reasons why we have to get out of the current situation, and we know how much better off we will be when we enter the new one. We are excited about the new endeavor, and relieved to not have to deal with the stress of the old one any longer.  

Whew!  

Yes!  

Aahhh ... 

But ... but ... 

Huh?