Not that I was any great mathematical whiz before, but I realized today (not even for the first time) that life with someone good with numbers has stunted what few mathematical capabilities I had.

Simple functions like tipping waiters and paying valets...totally beyond me.

Seriously, I was going to take middle sis to dinner at this nice restaurant after I picked her up at the train station, but suddenly it hit me that I had no idea how to pay the valet. Do you tip? How much? Before or after?

I used to be quite good at tipping. I always gave 20% because it was easy to figure 10% and double that. For awhile there I was totally in control of my own finances and bill paying. Of course, the biggest math problem I faced was calculating my share of the bill when going out with groups of people. Going out with English majors can go two ways. One, everyone is super-poor and so protective of money that they don't want to pay anything, or they all want to pay with their debit card and get cash from everyone. Two, everyone is too dumb to figure out their share, so we all just throw twenties on the table and walk away.

Then I got used to mr rampy figuring out all the bills, and now I can move decimal points to save my life.