Mathematics and Social Events
I think I have stumbled on a Truth of Issue for Thom - Doing mathematics, no matter how fulfilling it is, is still lonely work. Now don't get me wrong, it is not that I still do not enjoy doing it, after all I think I could actually enjoy math in general, but it is work that is best done ::sigh:: alone.
I mean, either I am working with someone who is smarter than me, thus making me get a inferiority complex (yeah, I know, another side note to list here) or I am dealing with other students who look at me for having all the answers and thus get to help them. So I actually turn to working on it alone. Single. No one else around. Just me.
Well, no I am not thinking that math will lead to a social event. Its not like mathematicians sit around with a Scotch and soda talking about the latest permutations of the differential equation research. (Okay, well they might, but really, that is not a relaxing thing now is it?)
Well, it is a bit of an epiphany on my part in its additional environment. Namely, this: I am at work, hence associating with other work employees and customers. The customers are, well, just that customers. Most of them don't mean to be annoying and only want to get their stuff and get out, limited contact. And the other employees generally do not mean to be annoying/annoyed, but there is ALWAYS work going on, hence the name of the business 'work'. "Social content: limited to non-existent" (if our employers have their ways). (Yeah, I know, 'no duh' there.)
Okay, so then I am at school. You know "class, walk to next class, repeat." Again, "social content: limited." Now, there are activities going on at school, but with my work being a few hours a day spread out across the week, the time on campus is at a minimum. I could spend more time there, especially this semester, but I have gotten into the habit of running home between classes with more than one hour break. After all I am only 5 minutes from home and all my stuff is there, right?
But what of the other students? Read back a few paragraphs and check out the "I have all the answers and need to help others" or "Students who are child prodigies leaving me feeling dumb" comments. Round here, there does not seem to be a middle ground or am I missing something? Probably...
Course it does not help that when I was married, all my friends went on to other hobbies/interests and Thom was left at home with a wife who bluntly told me "I have no interest in what you are working on," but also insisted that I be at home for family time. (Whoa, there is another issue to comment on later - much later)
Okay, so where was I? Oh yes, "Doing mathematics is lonely work." Yeah, just that, I sit down to do a problem and work (or slog) it out. If I come across a problem I could go the professor and ask for further elucidation, but it is all in the book, right? And there is the fact that I do truly believe that I have become a semi-hermit in my daily life style. I mean it has been nearly a year since someone was in my apartment, besides me. And that has given over to the fact that if I am the only one here, then why clean so much. But then I was never one of the neatest slobs around. Typical guy thing, I guess.
Anyway I digress. When I sat down to do my homework, I was flooded with a thought that seemed to prevail in my thoughts and distracted me from my concentration, "Mathematics is lonely work."
Eh, as a loved one would say, "You can do the job, right? Then do it. Focus, focus, focus." After all I am only just over one semester from graduating, right? Yep, 5 more months and I will be searching for a job in my degree field. Right? (maybe I can go to graduate school - no since in facing the real world, right? ::grin::)
I mean, either I am working with someone who is smarter than me, thus making me get a inferiority complex (yeah, I know, another side note to list here) or I am dealing with other students who look at me for having all the answers and thus get to help them. So I actually turn to working on it alone. Single. No one else around. Just me.
Well, no I am not thinking that math will lead to a social event. Its not like mathematicians sit around with a Scotch and soda talking about the latest permutations of the differential equation research. (Okay, well they might, but really, that is not a relaxing thing now is it?)
Well, it is a bit of an epiphany on my part in its additional environment. Namely, this: I am at work, hence associating with other work employees and customers. The customers are, well, just that customers. Most of them don't mean to be annoying and only want to get their stuff and get out, limited contact. And the other employees generally do not mean to be annoying/annoyed, but there is ALWAYS work going on, hence the name of the business 'work'. "Social content: limited to non-existent" (if our employers have their ways). (Yeah, I know, 'no duh' there.)
Okay, so then I am at school. You know "class, walk to next class, repeat." Again, "social content: limited." Now, there are activities going on at school, but with my work being a few hours a day spread out across the week, the time on campus is at a minimum. I could spend more time there, especially this semester, but I have gotten into the habit of running home between classes with more than one hour break. After all I am only 5 minutes from home and all my stuff is there, right?
But what of the other students? Read back a few paragraphs and check out the "I have all the answers and need to help others" or "Students who are child prodigies leaving me feeling dumb" comments. Round here, there does not seem to be a middle ground or am I missing something? Probably...
Course it does not help that when I was married, all my friends went on to other hobbies/interests and Thom was left at home with a wife who bluntly told me "I have no interest in what you are working on," but also insisted that I be at home for family time. (Whoa, there is another issue to comment on later - much later)
Okay, so where was I? Oh yes, "Doing mathematics is lonely work." Yeah, just that, I sit down to do a problem and work (or slog) it out. If I come across a problem I could go the professor and ask for further elucidation, but it is all in the book, right? And there is the fact that I do truly believe that I have become a semi-hermit in my daily life style. I mean it has been nearly a year since someone was in my apartment, besides me. And that has given over to the fact that if I am the only one here, then why clean so much. But then I was never one of the neatest slobs around. Typical guy thing, I guess.
Anyway I digress. When I sat down to do my homework, I was flooded with a thought that seemed to prevail in my thoughts and distracted me from my concentration, "Mathematics is lonely work."
Eh, as a loved one would say, "You can do the job, right? Then do it. Focus, focus, focus." After all I am only just over one semester from graduating, right? Yep, 5 more months and I will be searching for a job in my degree field. Right? (maybe I can go to graduate school - no since in facing the real world, right? ::grin::)