Sometimes It is Hard To Solve For ‘X’

If I told you I am listening Badfinger sing Day After Day and that I had just listened to a live version of Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water you might feel like you understood what sort of mood I am in.

In theory it sounds like it a decent plan for using limited information to come up with a conclusion except it is not.

“Sail on Silver Girl” and collect more data because you lack the substantive material you need to develop an accurate conclusion.

Granted I understand how and why someone would jump to conclusions because that is what people do and that is in spite of trying to be logical/rational in how we approach things.

Sometimes It is Hard To Solve For ‘X’

The current presidential campaign has made me think about this quite a bit, especially following the first debate between Clinton and Trump.

I have seen multiple comments, posts and conclusions about conspiracies that make me shake my head because I can’t understand how they have come up with these things.

Reminds me of high school math and talking about the reasons why you couldn’t solve for ‘X.’

Or maybe more accurately, reasons why ‘X’ was wrong because you hadn’t set up a proper equation.

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It is kind of funny to remember how quickly I was willing to raise my hand and answer the questions the teachers asked.

I had supreme confidence in my answers and experience showed I was right far more often than I was wrong.

These days I am slower to take certain risks and more cautious about reaching out.

Doesn’t mean I am not confident, but I have been burned a few times and figure there is no rush for some things.

I can take my time and get a better sense of how things are and try to make more informed decisions.

I really like that quote because it is applicable to so many different things.

It is worth using it as a reminder that life is filled with rewards and that sometimes you have to take a risk to get them.

That is hard sometimes and when you feel like you don’t have all of the puzzle pieces you want it might make some hold back.

My kids have heard me say many times I am not afraid to take chances and I always prefer to live a life where I know I have gone after what I want.

They also know “dear old dad” is a different man than he used to be because we have had lots of questions and comments about how things change.

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Some years ago the extended family got together for a function and a woman yelled at my kids and my niece/nephews.

I can’t tell you if she thought before she acted but I can tell you in less than a minute she was confronted by myself and my middle sister.

We were angry because she knew we were there and instead of speaking with us first she went to our kids.

It could have and should have been a simple discussion but she created an issue by overstepping her bounds and getting defensive.

Waving your finger in someone’s face isn’t a good way to make friends. It is like waving a red flag at a bull.

Anyhoo, during a recent conversation with my kids about change my daughter made a crack about me mellowing out and becoming a kinder and gentler dad.

I laughed and told her it is partially true.

“I have your backs and if anyone messes with you I will be involved, but it is different with me.”

She nodded and asked how so.

“I ignore a lot of stuff because it is not worth my time but ignoring doesn’t mean I am am unaware of what’s going on around me. If things change I’ll handle the situation but I’ll do it on my terms.”

She nodded her head again and told me about a boy named Davis that was giving her some trouble at school.

“Honey, Davis might just like you. He might just be trying to get your attention. You haven’t said anything that makes me think otherwise. If things change, keep me posted. I pay attention and I will respond if necessary.”

Some Things Never Change

A couple hours after I spoke with my daughter I got a call from a divorced friend and listened while he told me about his date.

Took all of ten minutes for me to tell him it sounded like some things never change.

It was said with love but I had to chuckle because a third of the conversation was about how he couldn’t figure out what the hell she was thinking.

“You know your date is out there somewhere talking to one of her girlfriends about how she can’t figure you out either. Did you at least pull her ponytail or spill ink on her dress.”

We both laughed, caught up on other things and then hung up the phone.

Life could and should be more far more simple, but people find so many ways to make it a bit more complicated.

I suppose if you are lucky the people you journey alongside of are the people you enjoy solving for X with.