americangirl's: Wait...let me think....

As an author involved—and in love—with the written word, I'll confess math isn't one of my favorite subjects.

It's not much of a strong point for me, either. But when it comes to tips and tax and sale discounts, I could always calculate them in my head. On paper, I could do long division and multiply numbers of multiple digits. Yes, I rock. (grin) Or at least, I did when I could do those things once upon a time.

Not any more. Guess why.

............

Give up?

I put a shortcut to a calculator on my desktop computer and found out how to program a speed button for the calculator on my phone. Since then, my love of technology—related to math, anyhow—has increased in proportion to the dwindling of my mathematical skills.

It's scary, especially when I'm at a year-end clearance sale, for instance, where you really have to be quick on your feet and in your head.

Even simple numbers, like passwords, are going the way of the long division problems. Okay, that's because I have approximately 732 passwords to remember, some of which only get used every six months to a year or so. And I realize that's not exactly a matter that requires mathematical computation, but still...they're numbers, you know? LOL

Speaking of which...for every person I'm in frequent contact with and/or want to be able to reach in a hurry, I make sure to keep the phone number very handy.

On my contacts list—in my cell phone.

Yes, of course, I keep backups. At home. But if I'm on the run and the battery bottoms out...or the cell phone dies...or there's an accident and the phone's demolished...

Think about these things for a minute. Seriously.

When's the last time you did anything more than a simple math calculation by hand or in your head?

And what if an emergency occurred and you needed to reach someone in an instant?

I'll be back. But while you're thinking, I'm going to go memorize my husband's cell phone number....

All my best to you,