Actuary. Actually? Not Exactly…

As I am sure you are all already aware, my favourite subject in school used to be Maths. Or, Math, for any Emericano readers. Common knowledge, first topic on my Wikipedia page. You could almost say Einstein was my hero. But he wasn’t. Still though, for whatever reason, I used to get a good buzz out of solving a tough maths equation. That deserves a ha. However, it is true. Who needed drugs, when a maths buzz was enough to keep me happy. To this day, if I ever I am in a situation where I need to kill some time, I will just start multiplying figures in my head to keep me entertained. Works too if you need to zone people out. There was even a stage, a lengthy one in fact, that I was gearing up to study as an actuary in college. Imagine the women flocking when you subtly mentioned you worked in life assurance. Plus the lure of the salaries which actuaries were supposed to make in their first year, tickled my fancy even more. Back when I thought money was cool. What an exciting life that would’ve been… Money! Women! Life assurance! Would’ve been tremendous fun.

A or The?

Another thing which I used to be a fan of, especially in college, was to learn off pages of answers for exams. As in for essay questions, I used to take 3 potential questions that may come up in an exam, write out a 6 or 8 page essay answer, however long it was meant to be, then learn off my answer word for word. Don’t ask me why, but I preferred to do this, rather than learn off the gist of the answer I prepared, and then re-write a different version in the exam. Word for word was the key part. I could store a few of these essays in my head for the exam, then batter them out if the question came out. Worked well. Except when I forgot a small word. Like was it “a” or “the”? This used to throw me off, stupidly. Trying to remember which one of the two, when both would probably have worked. Not until I got the right one in my head though, was I able to go on with the answer. Sometimes this could take me half an hour to figure out. Other times, an hour. One word, It was the only downside (I could see) to my otherwise brilliant technique! An exact science I had down to a tee. 

Exactly. The Opposite

There is a point to all this mathematical and exact science gibberish. For me, at least. Over the past week or however long, I am been reading all kinds of books, novels, articles online and so on, in preparation to write my book properly. Obviously I want to improve as much as I can writing wise – style, technique, etc. Added value, masterpiece, literary genius and all that. Improvements are needed. Time is ticking for my first deadline as well, read less, write more could be my new mantra soon enough. Anyways, last night, the part of my brain with a bit of common sense, clicked into play, making me realize something. A quirk I had in my thinking, or approach to the book. I was looking at it as if there is only one right way to do it. As if it was a sum. Needing the right theorem. I wanted to be certain that I had the sure-fire answer, before I started properly.

Thankfully, I have now copped on that there is no exact science to writing. Again, now that this revelation is not just floating about my head, is all sounds very obvious when I write it down. Sometimes these obvious bits of knowledge like to hide amongst the facts and figures lodged in with them though. No predetermined right way to go about it. There are obviously plenty of wrong ways, so avoid them. But as with stand-up, DJ’ing, acting (I presume) it is more that there are numerous right ways to do it. Let the creativity flow. Not that I have it figured out or anything, keep learning as I go. Maybe that is why it is good to be on an edge, constantly a bit paranoid. Maybe you are better off never being in a comfort zone. Maybe. Who knows. Not I. I have no theorem to back me up on this one. Or joke to wrap it all up with. Good stuff.

Now. Wasn’t that fun. Actuary style kind of fun. Even after I took out a lot of hilarious maths terms I originally planned on using. Q.E.D, anyone? Conjectures? No? Thought so. Somehow held back from using the term actuarily, as well. Maths is a bit of a dry stone to pump humour out of. Might’ve been better if I realized that before I started. I wonder how many people tried out my multiplying when bored technique, after the first paragraph. Here a couple of songs with a bit of soul to save the day… Actually, one last thing, the blogaruu has been nominated for an Irish Web Award. I think you need over 1, 000 votes to be nominated (I think, never said I was good at Maths so not too sure), so thanks to all who might have done so! 

I wonder if Marvin was a Maths head, presume so…

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye

My Girl – The Temptations 

Tags: Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Einstein, Exact Science, Marvin Gaye, Maths, My Girl, The Temptations, Writing, Writing Techniques