Mar 11, 2012
Nothing like coffee and klonopin to start out a wonderful Sunday writing in a Cafe.
Me
Jan 30, 2012

Me and Zach from SMBC-comics.com

Me:

Hi Zach,

I am asking you for advice—amongst other people—because I deeply admire your passion for knowledge. I completed my undergraduate degree in political science and a business degree in Finance (business degrees suck) from UW-Seattle. I have recently realized I love math and think it might be my dream to eventually pursue a graduate degree in finance or economics (requires math). The problem is my math skills ended at business calc in college. I am fearful of abandoning my burgeoning career to go back to undergrad and study more math. I hate that I feel this way—but I’m afraid I would look like a failure going back to undergrad, or that I wouldn’t be making money. I try to not care about those feelings—but it’s difficult. Right now I spend 2-4 hours a night studying math and barely spend money anyway, so I don’t see why I would care. But with my experience I could probably go get a masters degree in economic history or policy from a “top 15 school.” It is hard to convince myself it would be worthwhile to go study more math instead. Instead I find myself just regretting not having studied more and that, as a 22 year old, my life is over and it is too late to change my course. Which, whenever I think about it, seems pitiful. But I have spent my whole life racing the clock and skipping grades and I have such a difficult time enjoying life on my own terms. I will stop there since you are not my psychologist. I’d just like to hear your two cents
Thanks,
Simon
    Zach:
    Heya—

    Sorry for the slow reply. I’ll give you my general philosophy:

    Most people live only once because they’re never actively seeking a goal. If you work hard, you do more and see more in 5 years than most people do in a whole life. So, if you’re 22 and you plan to make it to 72, you’ve got about 10 lifetimes waiting for you. So, what’s the harm in spending the next lifetime getting a degree in math or econ or poetry or painting or whatever?

    In my own life, I went from liberal arts to training myself in math, and it’s been wonderful. My dad, for another example, was an engineer for a decade before he went back to school to become a doctor. 

    You’ve got plenty of time. So, why not run down an alley. If it ends up a dead end, you can always run down another!

    Best of luck—
    Zach
    Jan 22, 2012

    Mathematics

    I have been studying math lately. I graduated from UW in Finance and an honors program in political science. My skills in financial and economic theory, as well as political theory, are developed. Since then I have worked in the field of Finance, done research for professors, I’m auditing an MBA course in Asian capital markets, and even am working on a Economics blog that has been quite successful so far. 

    Recently though I have wanted to do more financial research, have been considering research positions, and trying to self-teach myself more Economics. I keep hitting this awful wall of math and programming. Math is more important first because even if I could program I still don’t know the math to make it useful for my purposes. So I have been studying 2-4 hours a day for a week. It has taken me years to develop the self-motivation to study. But for some reason I actually enjoy learning math. I didn’t from poor teachers, but I deeply enjoy self-teaching. I have spent this week reviewing and relearning algebra in depth. Not the overly simple algebra, but going all out and gaining a strong and powerful mastery over advanced algebra and actually understanding the theory.

    I have almost finished my deep review and I’m starting self teaching calculus/linear algebra/statistics. I am also going to try to get an independent study course in Econometrics and get a tutor to learn the programming language MatLab.

    This is all more fun than studying for the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) program. Those textbooks are written by CFA holders (non-academics). They are awful and cost 5x more than a proper textbook. Of course it would help me get a job more than what I’m doing now because you get a real certification. That’s why I’m trying to get tutors, audit courses, learn a programming language, and work on my blog. I need to be able to prove I have taught myself. It’s frustrating when people care more about what hoops you jumped through than your true knowledge. I understand why that’s the case. I just don’t like it.  

    Jan 21, 2012

    I have taken a break from writing fiction. My efforts have been massively directed towards my Economics blog—www.schoolsandthought.com—and studying mathematics. I can get a job I enjoy more if I can improve these skills. 

    Even when I did work on writing, it is draining and difficult. I guess I have potential, but like all things it takes a lot of work. I’m not sure I have the time… Even when I study maths and economics, it builds on top of what I do at work. But with writing I’m not sure I have time to ever be successful. The authors whom I respect the most made it their life’s pursuit. If they weren’t writing for a magazine or a journal they were practicing their own material. And of that material it took thousands of hours of writing to master the art. To seduce their reader.

    I want to do that but it’s daunting. If I write for hobby it’s fun and I am able to relax and store my sadness on paper or something. But I want recognition. It’s hard working on something and not get recognition. 

    Jan 21, 2012
    For the record this is a candy cig

    For the record this is a candy cig

    Jan 10, 2012
    Post-Pumpkin.
    Simon
    Jan 6, 2012

    A Thought

    Blurry eyed and slurry sighed she caught the kid and watched him cry. He laughed and jumped across the pond until he flipped flowing flowed on. Down the river far he went until that creeping crevice crept and cast him as the leading role. He yelled and spat. I missed the girl whose mind walked. Her purse of charms and our hands locked. The fairy glitter feathered chalk. The dancing devil Dorothy lies across the beach and down the sea where she will wait oh wait for me. 

    -Simon

    Jan 6, 2012

    A Poem


    Chill and swoon the
    midnight moon
    the clocks of sand
    her liquid man she holds
    she sighs
    she caughs and tries
    to kiss and kick that
    solemn sick

    (ness that pulls)
    her ‘neath the tide
    for one for him
    the frozen bride

    -Simon, for Dorothy 

    Jan 5, 2012

    My Sweet Dorothy Parker

    “I don’t know much about being a millionaire, but I’ll bet I’d be darling at it.” 
    ― Dorothy Parker

    “Salary is no object: I want only enough to keep body and soul apart.” 
    ― Dorothy Parker

    “If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.” 
    ― Dorothy Parker

    “I hate writing, I love having written.” 
    ― Dorothy Parker

    “If wild my breast and sore my pride, 
    I bask in dreams of suicide, 
    If cool my heart and high my head 
    I think ‘How lucky are the dead.” 
    ― Dorothy Parker, The Complete Poems of Dorothy Parker

    “Razors pain you; 
    Rivers are damp; 
    Acids stain you; 
    And drugs cause cramp. 
    Guns aren’t lawful; 
    Nooses give; 
    Gas smells awful; 
    You might as well live.” 
    ― Dorothy Parker

    Dec 29, 2011
    All the thickness of the world. EDIT: When do the girls start telling me I’m pretty and such? That’s the point of these pictures and tumblr innit? Want some compliments on my complexion plz. 

    All the thickness of the world.

    EDIT: When do the girls start telling me I’m pretty and such? That’s the point of these pictures and tumblr innit? Want some compliments on my complexion plz. 

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