College Algebra (tougher then it looks!)

[diran]

A couple days ago a friend called me to help with his college algebra homework. He's finally going back to school for his degree and I have a lot of respect for people who do that, especially when you already have a successful career like he does. Math has always been my strong point so I figured this would be a piece of cake. Solve for X and stuff like that. I had forgotten it's been 12 years since I did this, my sophomore year of high school. I've always thought math would be kind of like riding a bike for me. Once I look at a few problems it would all come back, it's always been my best subject after all. NOT! One look at page full of exponents, square roots, cube roots and I'm starting to panic. I didn't have a clue where to start. Cross multiplying, FOIL method, factoring, product rule of radicals... I'd forgotten it all. Thank god for google and West Texas A&M (Great guide!) I was starting to get the hang of it by the end of the night, but I ended up (re)learning more then he did that night. I wonder how I'd do at trigonometry. I enjoyed that class so much I used to look forward to going to school in the morning. Yes, I was that much of a nerd, but that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that knows me even a little bit. (although I hope that's changing. (^_^) ) [damn it, still get that uncomfortable feeling if the parentheses aren't balanced] I feel like I should start tutoring in math so I don't forget how to do it. I don't know where I'd find the time though.

I'm going to try to update my journal more often again. I want to learn to write faster then I do now, and get more comfortable talking about some subjects I've been too reserved about. No idea where it will go, I just want to change.

(Damn it, Ecto doesn't seem to like Japanese characters)