Eating Strategically

...and I'm not talking about a diet.

SITUATION: Say there are two kinds of pizza on the table (Pizza A and Pizza B). You like both A and B, but you prefer Pizza A. However, you are the only person around that likes Pizza A. What do you do?

For most of my life, it seemed perfectly reasonable to start off eating Pizza A. If I like it better, why not? I get what I want; other people get what they want. Everybody wins.

True enough, but I could be winning more.

I learned this lesson from my brother, although he always denies that he does this. I know better than to believe his denials because I have watched him do it time and time again.

In the aforementioned situation, if I start off eating Pizza B, then there will be leftovers of Pizza A that I will have to myself (since nobody else likes it). Thus, I win now by getting pizza that I like, and I win later by getting leftover pizza that I like even more. Granted, that means there's not as much Pizza B to go around, so some people might give in and eat some A because they're still hungry. The point is that I get the best of both worlds. Now, I'm sure how you can easily see how this applies to pies, cakes, casseroles, etc. Also, it works if there are only 2 or 3 people that like A and 10 that like B.

Therefore, in a world where selfishness is the driving force, one would pass up what he most desires and go for what is most popular to be better off in the long run. Seems a little counter-intuitive at first, but it makes sense when you think about it, right? Yeah, my brother is a sneaky fellow. He plans ahead.

Fears

My sister and her husband moved to France yesterday. Maybe I should say "left for France yesterday" instead because I don't think they are there yet even now. I've been praying for them and their flock of luggage to all make it there safely without a hitch. But on the other hand, I've also been praying for their car to sell, and my brother to get a job, and those things haven't quite worked out yet. o.O

Lately I've been noticing how scared I am about this semester. It isn't about grad school being hard, and it isn't even about paying the money I don't have (although that is scaring me- but it is not what's eating my lunch). I'm scared for my relationships.

You see, I keep getting this strong urge to quit Navigators that I couldn't explain until last night. That's when I really started thinking about why I have been so anxious. I have never been around a group of people this long since I was at Bell Manor, and there is a big part of me that doesn't want to be. Then again, this is why I chose to stick around at A&M in the first place- to deal with relationships lasting longer than 2 years. I just didn't think I would be so nervous about it as it looms closer and closer. With a few exceptions, I feel like I don't want to keep up the friendships I have built and would much rather be fleeing the country. I know my sister is scared too, but I've got to admit that I'm pretty jealous.