Here's where those math skills come in. You know, the ones you whined about never needing when you were a sniveling, petulant adolescent? In your face. Well, in mine, at least.

I've been having difficulty with guilt. Reduced bliss tolerance, Puritanism, fear, call it what you will. My issue? I am currently (mostly) unemployed.

My Inner Prankster tells me I should not be having mornings where I have time to eat as well as work out. The Dad tapes hurl epithets at me: indolentlazyfoolhardyirresponsible. My common sense tells me that it is unthinkable, bilking my retirement fund to finance this "spree" that is my newly adopted life. I mean, is it really possible to take my time and make it my own?Callit my own and believe it?

So I looked into the money situation. I'm always better when I have a plan, whether I follow it or not. I thought of all the marginal, albeit fun, jobs I could take to bring in more cash: Starbucks. REI. Tully's.

Here's where the math comes in; thanks for waiting for it to come back around. Formula: hourly wage x hours per week x 4.3 weeks per month x .8 to figure simple withholding = monthly take-home pay.

Well let me say that minimum wage lost out to something I already do. Interpreting. Even with a morning (reverse) commute of 30 miles, I can make more interpreting 2 hours each morning than I can working for minimum wage anywhere. The gas cost is even tolerable.

Whaddya know, real- life math application. Mr. Shull was right.