First day of the end

Yesterday I got to my first class of the semester a little bit early. As I sat there and waited I realized that this was the first day of my LAST semester ever. And that made me really happy.

Plus, the class seems like it will be really cool. It's all about design optimization. About trying to find the optimal solution to a problem. The best way to weigh competing factors. It's a pretty interesting concept to consider that there is a processes, a tool, a method that can help you determine the very best option out of a million possibilities.

It reminds me of a really interesting conversation I had with a friend over Christmas break. While the idea of optimization may work in an engineering/technical/scientific sense, it doesn't really make a smooth transition into our personal lives. He was reading a book that, in essence, said that continual optimizing and evaluation in our personal lives brings unhappiness. The book said that if a person always tries to balance all the possibilities they end up continually unsettled and that brings unhappiness. The thing they are trying to achieve (contentment, happiness, peace) eludes them by their very attempt.

I think this makes sense. In my experience the times I've been the happiest are when I take my life for what it is and find my happiness in that. Constantly hoping and judging and evaluating prevents me from enjoying the moment and just gives me a big ole headache.

So that's why I am so happy to be almost done with my education. It's where I am, and I'm happy to be here.