That is an algebra problem.
I don't like math or anything associated with it.
I would much rather give you the etymology and definition of the word "algebra" than actually do algebra.
This is my Sophomore year algebra teacher, Mr. Coffman.
Though this might be starting off a little sketchy, there is a reason that I'm blogging about him....and algebra.
I have never excelled at math...who am I kidding? I'm awful. In fact, I still use my fingers to this day when doing math problems. Don't judge me...I have a method and it works.
During middle school and then into my freshman year in high school I nearly flunked out of every math class I was in, though I was usually above average in all my other classes.
I always enrolled in the lowest class the school had to offer, as were the "trouble makers", so class was often disrupted which further delayed my learning process. I struggled to get by with the basic mathematical education that the public school system thought I needed to succeed in the world.
Then I was assigned an algebra class with Mr. Coffman.
I don't know what he did differently or how he approached the subject, but while he was teaching, I was learning. I actually understood and (gasp!) liked algebra!
I'm not saying it was easy all the time, but it made some semblance of sense to me and I enjoyed it.
Maybe it was the mystery...the satisfaction of uncovering the clues to determine what number had gone undercover as "y" or "x".
Maybe it was because I could use my imagination in trying to figure out why we didn't know what "x" stood for. Was it some Indiana Jones like puzzle with it's missing pieces?
Whatever the reason, I enjoyed the way Mr. Coffman taught and thank him for helping me pass algebra.
However, the algebra teaching skills are not what stand out the most in my memory of this teacher. The thing I remember most (because this is how my roller coaster ride brain works) is a comment he made to our class one day after he had been on a long trip by car.
He said that he really enjoyed driving on long trips because it gave him time alone to think about things that he didn't have time to think about during the busy day. He said he could zone out and really give his brain a workout and it was refreshing.
Here's the tie in:
I drove to Springfield this weekend for a wedding which is a about a four hour drive one way. Which means I had eight hours in the car.
Eight hours to think.
When I started the drive and my mind started to take off to the little places it tends to go, one of the first things that came to mind was Mr. Coffman and his advice on using our driving time for good.
I took his advice and I feel refreshed. Much like you feel after a strenous physical workout...tired but rejuvinated (minus the sweat).
I could tell you some of the things I thought about on the drive, but it would be neither beneficial for me to spend fifteen days writing it nor beneficial to my goal of proving to you that I, in fact, don't have a mental problem.
I have no idea if Mr. Coffman is still teaching or sadly, if he's still among the living, but if he is, maybe he'll stumble upon this little memory of mine and feel like he accomplished something during his teaching career.
Even if that accomplishment didn't solely involve algebra.
x=9
B
Up next: Wedding Sneak Peeks
