There's this one kid in my art class who is not only a really, really, really, really, really good artist, but he's also really, really good at math.

It's just not fair how I get nothing, and this kid is really good at two things that are soppoused to be complete opposites!  :\'(

Not only that, but the teacher loves him.

Why can't I be gifted? I'm not good at anything. I'm horrible at drawing, painting AND ceramics. All my projects are the worst in all 3 of those classes.....It's like I can't do anything right. All my drawings look like cartoons, and I can't shade if my life depended on it. I waste so much paint, and I always make a mess. My hands are always covered in paint, and my desk always has paint all over it. My paitings are just horrible. And I can't get one thing right in ceramics.

And not only that, I am HORRIBLE at math.

I don't even have an opinion on anything because I'm not intelligent, smart or informed about politics, communism, socialism, PHILOSOPHY, religion, or anything.

My art teachers always look at me like i'm crazy because I NEVER know what I'm doing. It's like I need special attention. Maybe I have a mental disorder or something.

I can't even get a license or land a job. I'm so afraid I'm gonna end up on Judge Judy owing my parents a bunch of money because I'm a deadbeat.

ah but you're a poet/songwriter and that's something to be proud of.

don't be sure the person you're envying has the perfect life you don't know what they are dealing with internally, mentally, emotionally or at home just cuz someone's life seems perfect doesn't always make it so... 

i don't write songs anymore. what's the point if your not in a band? who's gonna hear them?

i'm not really saying he has a perfect life.....it just fascinates me how there are people who just seem to be good at everything, and are really talented, or intelligent, or gifted, and then there are people who have been given nothing. they seem to mess up everthing, and are not really good at anything, and are unintelligent. i might be GOOD at SOMETHING, but that doesn't mean i'm talented or gifted. i might be good at convincing people to buy me things (i'm such a deadbeat), but i'm not talented.

I dunno.  Why do I have jack squat?  What do you want for nothing, rubber biscuit?
:P

Don't drive yourself crazy thinking about how good someone else has it.  IMO everyone is in the middle.  There's always someone who has more or less than you and so on.

High school years are tough.  Ok, so you can't draw/paint/sculpt and you suck at math that only means you wont be an artist or a mathemetician.  I'm sure there are plenty of things you ARE good at you just have to find them.

Finally, you should write songs because it makes YOU feel good.  It probably helps you to get things off your chest.  You should continue doing that even if no one ever hears.

There's this one kid in my art class who is not only a really, really, really, really, really good artist, but he's also really, really good at math.

It's just not fair how I get nothing, and this kid is really good at two things that are soppoused to be complete opposites!  :\'(

Not only that, but the teacher loves him.

Why can't I be gifted? I'm not good at anything. I'm horrible at drawing, painting AND ceramics. All my projects are the worst in all 3 of those classes.....It's like I can't do anything right. All my drawings look like cartoons, and I can't shade if my life depended on it. I waste so much paint, and I always make a mess. My hands are always covered in paint, and my desk always has paint all over it. My paitings are just horrible. And I can't get one thing right in ceramics.

And not only that, I am HORRIBLE at math.

I don't even have an opinion on anything because I'm not intelligent, smart or informed about politics, communism, socialism, PHILOSOPHY, religion, or anything.

My art teachers always look at me like i'm crazy because I NEVER know what I'm doing. It's like I need special attention. Maybe I have a mental disorder or something.

I can't even get a license or land a job. I'm so afraid I'm gonna end up on Judge Judy owing my parents a bunch of money because I'm a deadbeat.



I'll tell you what. I've been pretty good at art for about 10 years now. I'm good at drawing, painting, etc. BUT, I am NOT that good at math. I'm not horrible, but I'm not GREAT, either, lol  ;D One thing I've come to realise is that even though I'm pretty good at art, some people are just not going to like what I do. I was once in an art show about 6 years ago (I was 19 at the time), and I painted a really pretty scene of Venice. I was up against some very experienced artists who all had very unique paintings. Well, I did not win one single award. Yet, out of the 100 or so peices of work up for sale, mine was one of the few that sold! I thought that was quite an honor. I never knew who actually purchased my piece, but in a way, I am glad that they're enjoying it in their home or elsewhere. 

So, sometimes people may not see your talent in certain ways, but others will. Somebody saw my talent that day and honored me by purchasing my work.  :)

  I waste so much paint, and I always make a mess. My hands are always covered in paint, and my desk always has paint all over it. My paitings are just horrible.


Hey, I didn't know neo-impressionist genius Jackson Pollock was on this board!  Buddy, can ya spare a million? :)

Don't let your schooling interfere with your education.

SNAP OUT OF IT!  You are sitting back comparing yourself to this other kid in school, wishing you could do what he does and finding yourself lacking.  Stop comparing yourself to him, jeez, why would you want to.  When it comes to "art", any creative process is valuable in it makes the creator feel, not whether or not someone outside gives you a grade.  Bad at math?  Thousands are.  Do your best and remember that after school you can just use a calculator.  Sometimes it takes a bit of dabbling around to find out what interests you, or something interests you and you are too shy to admit it.  You will probably be good at what interests you, so figure out what it is and run with it.  The rest of life will fall into place.

My art teachers always look at me like i'm crazy because I NEVER know what I'm doing. It's like I need special attention. Maybe I have a mental disorder or something.

Just so you know, Bill Gates & Albert Einstein have/had mental disorders...didn't hold them back!

I can't even get a license or land a job. I'm so afraid I'm gonna end up on Judge Judy owing my parents a bunch of money because I'm a deadbeat.


Keep thinking like that and you may be right...

I can't do any math at all.
and I run a branch of a business. 
you'll figure it out. it took me 40 years!
you are still young. i know it's frustrating.

I'm shallow, i'm vain and i can't add the change in my pocket.
but i still get along in society.

maybe it will take ssome time.

Like Belle du Jour I suck at math. In fact I think I have failed more math classes than anyone.

7th- Pre-Algebra - Passed
8th- started taking Algebra- moved to a new town failed the placement test and had to take pre-algebra again
9th- Algebra (failed then passed)
10th- Geometry(failed, failed, passed)
11th- Algebra II (failed)
12th Algebra II (failed, passed)

community college entrance exam Failed the math portion
Pre-Algebra Failed, passed
Algebra Failed, dropped, Passed
Statistics- failed, failed passed

University of Ca (no math needed WOO HOO)
Philoshopy class- Logic is not about logical thinking but math  :\'( .... I dropped it after failing two tests.

Needless to say. I can balance a checkbook, work a cash register and I know how to count back change but that's about it. Good thing there are a ton of jobs out there that don't require much more mathematical know how than that.

The only time I ever used anything harder than adding, subtracting multiplying or division was when I needed to figure a hot dog to bun packaging ratio when buying them for a picnic. And, once when I worked in a grocery store I had to figure out exactly how many two liter bottles would fit on a display stand I had to set up.  yep that's two times in twenty years.  I guess you can use fractions when cooking but usually instead I just average. Its not too hard when doubling a recipe but sucks when you need to cut one in half.


Really at 18 it all seems so important but as you get older you realize how much was wasted on the insignificant things. Figure out what makes you happy. Screw your teachers they have crappy jobs that they aren't getting paid enough for. Chances are your perceptions are even close they are probably trying to figure out how to make the next mortgage or car payments. Or more than likely, they are working second jobs so that glazed over look you are mistaking for criticism is really just a reflection of how tired they are. 

I was a misery at math in high school.  Then I went to college and had a teacher who knew how to teach instead of recite.  I am great at math now, and logic.  If you think you are miserable in math, try a tutor, it may be that your teacher is just bad at teaching.

I've always had math anxiety. I did pass my college entry exam, but I had to take Elementary algebra before I could take Intermediate algebra and passed that class with a "C". It wasn't that I didn't try, as I went to the math lab almost every day and was receiving instruction. I think I just couldn't develop a lot of the concepts in my head. I think I would actually grasp it a bit better now.

I've always had math anxiety. I did pass my college entry exam, but I had to take Elementary algebra before I could take Intermediate algebra and passed that class with a "C". It wasn't that I didn't try, as I went to the math lab almost every day and was receiving instruction. I think I just couldn't develop a lot of the concepts in my head. I think I would actually grasp it a bit better now.



I was the same way. I got nearly all A's in college...but I could never grasp the concept of Math...and I actually got a C in that class (my only C).

I was the same way. I got nearly all A's in college...but I could never grasp the concept of Math...and I actually got a C in that class (my only C).


Yes, I totally understand! Do you think you'd ever retake it again? I've considered that a few times, but I'd probably really not enjoy it!  ;D

Yes, I totally understand! Do you think you'd ever retake it again? I've considered that a few times, but I'd probably really not enjoy it!  ;D


probably not. It was quite painful taking it the first time through! ;D

I was a misery at math in high school.  Then I went to college and had a teacher who knew how to teach instead of recite.  I am great at math now, and logic.  If you think you are miserable in math, try a tutor, it may be that your teacher is just bad at teaching.

That's a lot of my problem, the teachers I had expected you to memorize all this stuff but that never worked for me.  They never really taught it.


I've always had math anxiety. I did pass my college entry exam, but I had to take Elementary algebra before I could take Intermediate algebra and passed that class with a "C". It wasn't that I didn't try, as I went to the math lab almost every day and was receiving instruction. I think I just couldn't develop a lot of the concepts in my head. I think I would actually grasp it a bit better now.


Me too!!  I did great in algebra but it was all down hill after that.  Funny thing is, my sister is a math genius!  She teaches high school math. 

I was awful in math, too. I barely got by Algebra with C's (if I'm lucky) and D's.  :-[ I completely flunked Geometry the first time, but managed to get a B the second time around.

i don't write songs anymore. what's the point if your not in a band? who's gonna hear them?

I'm not really saying he has a perfect life.....it just fascinates me how there are people who just seem to be good at everything, and are really talented, or intelligent, or gifted, and then there are people who have been given nothing. they seem to mess up everthing, and are not really good at anything, and are unintelligent. i might be GOOD at SOMETHING, but that doesn't mean i'm talented or gifted. i might be good at convincing people to buy me things (i'm such a deadbeat), but i'm not talented.



I am pretty much speech deaf as well as having some other volume loss.  I still record some of my parodies under the name of rocksann at Soundclick. What's the point of me recording and not being in a band?  Because I love to sing and people enjoy my writings.  No one has told me my recordings were lousy.

You must be good at something. 

Don't let jealousy lead you to some kind of depression.  That seems to be the way I'm reading this anyway.

I was awful in math, too. I barely got by Algebra with C's (if I'm lucky) and D's.  :-[ I completely flunked Geometry the first time, but managed to get a B the second time around.

I cannot count the costs of my deficits in math, no pun intended. 
If my mathematical aptitude was as strong as my verbal aptitude, my IQ score would be at "genius" level.  It's true.  However, I can barely do basic algebra.  I graduated from college because they dumbed down the second tier math requirement to the point where even I could test out of it!
:-[

In high school I was in resource room math, which was a fraud.  I pretended to work and they pretended to give me a grade!  Then when I really put my nose to the grindstone in college and paid a math tutor to help me...I still couldn't.  I'd try work out these simple geometry problems and it just felt like my brain was going to split in two and burst into flames!

There's this one kid in my art class who is not only a really, really, really, really, really good artist, but he's also really, really good at math.

It's just not fair how I get nothing, and this kid is really good at two things that are soppoused to be complete opposites!  :\'(

Not only that, but the teacher loves him.

Why can't I be gifted? I'm not good at anything. I'm horrible at drawing, painting AND ceramics. All my projects are the worst in all 3 of those classes.....It's like I can't do anything right. All my drawings look like cartoons, and I can't shade if my life depended on it. I waste so much paint, and I always make a mess. My hands are always covered in paint, and my desk always has paint all over it. My paitings are just horrible. And I can't get one thing right in ceramics.

And not only that, I am HORRIBLE at math.

I don't even have an opinion on anything because I'm not intelligent, smart or informed about politics, communism, socialism, PHILOSOPHY, religion, or anything.

My art teachers always look at me like i'm crazy because I NEVER know what I'm doing. It's like I need special attention. Maybe I have a mental disorder or something.

I can't even get a license or land a job. I'm so afraid I'm gonna end up on Judge Judy owing my parents a bunch of money because I'm a deadbeat.


okay here's something.... i am awesome at math and chemistry and physics and it has gotten me nowhere. i never really wanted to have anything much to do with those things... one thing that did interest me was art but in school, i totally sucked

well i practiced... and practiced... and practiced...

when i wanted to be a writer, i filled a hundred note books with stories and poems.... and they were god awful. but eventually after years of work i started getting published and invited to readings etc etc....

the same with making films and doing animation.... i just practiced and did it  ALOT

when i want to paint i paint alot, when i want to take photos, i grab a camera and take a ton of photos... and the ONLY person i do it for is ME. does my art always fall short of my original vision? of course...does it mean i suck? who cares! i'm doing it and that's where the real beauty lies.

once you know what you really want to do, you just have to do it. until then, my advice to you is try everything.... and i mean everything. you're young. hell, i didn't even know what i really wanted to do until i was 26.

a very wise friend of mine once said that anything that one person can do, all people can do. i've found this to be mostly true.