Math challenged

For months I have known I would have to take algebra I and algebra II in order to complete my associates degree, but I wanted to think maybe it was a joke or something. That they should know better than ask Erin to do math. But they didn't think it was a joke and low and behold, my algebra class started Monday.

My first clue that this was going to kick my butt was the first chapter containing 80 pages. 80 pages! WHAT? I did super fantastic and got through about ten pages and was very proud of myself, BUT there was a test on Friday for the material covered in that long first ridiculous chapter.

So, I'm sitting at my computer last night having started the quiz at work on my lunch break on Friday thinking I had really done well. I answered the first 11 out of 49 correctly and I was a math genius! My husband gets home and is in one of those clingy moods and sits right next to me at the computer (God, I love him) and watches me as I make a fool of myself with math. Because you see, I am inclined more to write or read, correct grammar or dig for information to write about. I'm not a person that wants to find out what the value of x is. No interest. Don't care. Think it's pretty dumb, in fact.

Needless to say, at first I was totally getting pissed that my husband was sitting right next to me figuring out the problems I was working on IN HIS HEAD which is cheating because I have write it all down, step -by-step in order to somewhat has a grasp of the problem. Anyhow, it took me an hour and forty-five minutes and a lot of coaching from my dear husband to help me understand these stupid alegbra problems.

The irritation flowed to relief that he was so math inclined and could teach me. He's not the best teacher in the world, lacks some patience and thinks repeating the same thing over and over to me will help me get it. I had to inform him that I'm a words person. Write it down and let me read it and I'll probably get it. It was interesting. There were some moments that could have seriously damaged our relationship, but instead it was strengthened.

He just needs to be around for the next five months to help me get through this thing they call math.