Thursday, April 16, 2009

Left Brain Impaired-I'm No Scientist

I have always been jealous of people who understand scientific and technical stuff. That is definitely not my strength. There are many things I don't understand, like how the Internet works, but I don't really care as long as it is always there for me. I am to science what nerds are to sports and what Brittany Spears is to modesty.

Some people have a dominant side of the brain they use. I'm definitely not a lefty. Those are people who are good at reasoning, logic, science, math, etc. I have always struggled with Geometry, Biology, Chemistry, and Algebra. I was going to say Calculus but I never made it anywhere near that far in math. I prefer the right side of the brain because there seems to be more gray area there (no pun intended). It doesn't deal with black and white and absolutes so I find it to be much more forgiving.

If I was asked to solve a math equation I'd start thinking about words that rhyme with equation. My mind would wander as I thought about making a movie called Equation Quest.Who would I cast to star in the movie? Already I've used up as much mental energy as it would take to solve the problem but I'm not any closer to knowing the answer. No I have never been diagnosed with ADD.

I'd prefer an essay question for a difficult math problem because I'd have a better chance of BS-ing my way through it. That has worked for me in the past except for the time when I wrote an essay about the book "How Green was my Valley" in High School. I had read the first several pages and that was it. I thought I had duped the teacher until after reading my paper she pointed out that it was good, but one of the main characters who I kept referring to as a man was actually a woman. I guess that blew my cover. It's not my fault that they had weird names.

I love tech stuff and I'm glad there are smart people in the world to make life better for us, but I'm just not one of them. If you are an architect, statistician, chemist, computer programmer, or someone in one of the other "smart" disciplines, you have my respect.

16 comments:

Gwen said...

I'm a weird mix of the two. I am definitely right-brained (creative, imaginative) but I am also ruled by logic and reason.

Maybe that's why I went into law, which is governed by logic but also allows you to BS a lot.

Kristina P. said...

Yeah, I am an idiot when it comes to this kind of thing.

But, I rock the Peekaru like no one's business. I think that's so much more important in life, than math.

Mary Bergfeld said...

If ever you were to see the stick figures I draw, you'd know immediately that I am left brained.
You write so well that I suspect you're a mixture of the two, despite your protestations.

Girl Interrupted said...

I'm a "Righty" too ... maths smaths, that's why some "Lefty" invented calculators, for people like me :P

Roshni said...

I am (or was) a scientist, but looking at your diagram, I'm definitely right-brained! Specially, the daydreaming bit!

Video Zeta One said...

I am neither right OR left brained; I function using only my hypothalimus.

Seriously, I've learned over the years that I have no clue which side I am. I couldn't even pass consumer math in high school, but then went on to a graduate degree in genetics... and now I'm sick of science (but it brings home the bacon), and can't wait to get home and slack away at right brained activities. Go figure.

Dawn Parsons Smith said...

"what modesty is to Britney Spears"...Hilarious! Oh how I have missed you, Chaka! lol!

I am definitely a right brainer!

Eric said...

I normally use my left brain, but when I switch over to my right brain it kind of feels like someone else is doing it.

Anonymous said...

Was it the name Llewellyn that got you busted on the book report? That's fo funny, thank for the laughs. I have never liked Haiku--better to play with the villanelle, rondeau, or sonnet.

Dr Zibbs said...

Very odd. My son and I were just talking about this!

Beckalita said...

I've never really thought about this. Now that you mention it, I'd say I use both my brains, "and I'm an expert at each of them."

Tom said...

Your comments are all very insightful. I admit that noone is completely one sided. Despite being horrible at left brain stuff I still enjoy categorizing and analyzing stuff as long as it is right brained subject matter.

Kelly said...

I think most bloggers are word people not numbers people. I know that is true for me. When asked to remember a number I usually use my go to quote from Scarlet Ohara and say "Fiddle dee dee, when I am wearing a new bonnet every figure I ever knew slips right out of my head"

She is my hero!

MJenks said...

*beams with pride*

Too bad I'm a dumb chemist.

Lisa Loo said...

oh--and I wanted to tell you that your comment on my blog--KILLED me! At least it sounded familiar--I'm not sure I could remember back that far. I have issues with short and long term memory.

Jeanne Estridge said...

I lean to the left, but I have my right-y moments.