A recursive definition does not necessarily lead to a recursive process.

Being smart in the arts is the same as being smart in engineering is the same as being smart in writing is the same as being smart in anything, really. It's the ability to manipulate all the pieces of the puzzle in your mind, try to fit them together, and when they don't fit quite right... you sand the edges/corners and make them all fit.

The key to understanding complicated things is knowing what not to look at.

Nothing brings fear to my heart more than a floating point number.