Equations

life - hope = despair
despair - hope = super bad-ass despair
despair + hope = false hope, a.k.a. "The Shakespeare Sucka Punch"
despair / 2 = apathy
despair / 4 = longing
life + (hope/8) = Powerball ticket
life + (despair/8) = Powerball ticket
life * hope = amphetamines
life + (hope * hope) + despair = Little Orphan Annie
life / 2 = real life
life ≠ The Real World