Math

Gary isn't math-impaired, exactly. He just doesn't appreciate the accuracy element of math. For example, he rounds numbers up exponentially for dramatic effect. The first time he quotes a number, say $145.99, he rounds up to $150. However, this is an odd number. Can't have that. So the next time it comes up, it's $160. Gary knows the next time he mentions the number, the shock effect of $160 will be gone. That's why financial discussions with Gary sound like this:

"They said it would be $145.99 to replace!"
"Wow."
"I KNOW! Who would charge $150 just for that?"
"I know."
"So when I told Dad it would be $160, he freaked."
"Sure."
"I mean, one-HUNDRED and EIGHTY dollars? Are you kidding me?"
"I thought you said $145."
"No! It's like $200! And I'm not paying $220 for that."

This is only an issue when we are forced to discuss money, for example, when we plan a trip to Chicago for our anniversary. We have a range of options: flying and staying at the Hilton again (his choice) to driving and staying at the Day's Inn by the airport (my choice). We'll end up somewhere in the middle, but until then, we have to discuss money.

Gary's logarithmic financial scale complicates these conversations. Since I keep nailing him on accuracy ("No, hon, the Hilton plan is five times as much as the Day's Inn plan, not twice as much") he's decided to discuss our plans in iPods, not dollars. As in: "Oh, the Hilton is just a few iPods more!" And "A Segue tour? Why, that's half an iPod each!"

I began to coax him to consider the Day's Inn plan by bribing him with additional anniversary gifts. I started to say, "Well, you've run out of iPod space, I could get you a bigger iPod." But that would have required us to retire the term "meta" since then I would have said, "And we could spend the iPod we saved on an new iPod for you."

Comments

[sue]

Ha!

[TheQueen]

Sue - as it turns out, there's a compromise hotel next to the Hilton, for two-and-a-half iPods less.