Vacation Equations

Six weeks of an intensive math program may have influenced my thought process slightly. As I was writing down my thoughts on the vacation I just returned from I realized I was using mathematical symbols to do so. I give you the beautiful language of symbols:

tolls = traffic = aggravation + pollution
= money to keep up the road =? limited road use

mountains = free fun

lakes = cheap fun

waterfalls = {beautiful if next to the path
{hazardous if taking over the path

rain /= time to go shopping
= time to put on waterproof gear and do everything you were going to do

bug spray = small environmental impact + great personal reward

eating out = support of a local economy + fun to do on vacation

white mountains = beautiful + not too far = excellent vacation location

Key: ?= means conjecture
= { means either, or
/= means not equal

One last equation, which I will provide a proof for:
Tina hiking = excellent ad for crocs

I happen to hate wearing socks and only do so when its cold. This means that I refuse to wear hiking boots or anything that resembles normal hiking gear, instead I wear sandals, and more recently, crocs. These are the most excellent invention for hikers like me. This fact was not entirely evident to my family, who started the week making fun of me and every time I so much as slipped a centimeter my brother pronounced "That wouldn't have happened in sneakers!" Then, we reached a stream which had decided to cross the trail. My family looked on in horror, not water! I, on the other hand, boldly crossed, found the water to be refreshing, and was able to inform them that if they could cross this one barrier, the rest of the path appeared clear. Then, and many times more (as it rained and our trails turned into rivers) everyone was jealous of my footwear. Moral of the story? Crocs are cool. Or, more generally, even if something looks weird and foreign, it may turn out to be an excellent solution to the problems you didn't anticipate.