As Mark Reiter writes in The Enlightened Bracketologist: The Final Four of Everything, Bracketology is a way of seeing the world so that we can become more enlightenedabout what we like, favor, prefer, abhor, or abjure. If you follow these simple rules you can use bracketology to figure out just about anything, from the best Kanye song of all time to naming your firstborn child.

At their core, brackets force you to make a this-or-that decision. But all the options arent equal, so you need to do a bit of research and thinking. Let's say you can't decide who to take on a date to a baseball game. Option A has lots of sports knowledge but is a little less social than Option B (whose own interest in baseball is fairly low). You've got to weigh their strengths given the scenario, and your own priorities. Sounds like it's anybody's game. (Also, we hope you aren't debating 64 potential dates, but if so, goooood luck.)

Try turning in your NCAA bracket a day late, and see what the person managing your office pool says. (S/he'll say "no.") The NCAA tournament has a definitive start time and if you cant make your bracket decisions by then, youre kaput. If youre just as strict with, say, vacation plans, then youre more likely to find a great destination and a good rate on lodging and airfare alike. More than anything, you aren't making a bracket to waste precious time. You're doing it to make an educated, winning decision. Budget time for your research, and once armed with the knowledge, act swiftly.

As great as it is to have all your choices arranged in seeds, life isnt always that neat. Most basketball fans know that its smart to pick at least one 12-seed to knock off a higher-ranked 5-seed. Picking a lunch destination is no different: On paper, that street meat gyro may not stand a chance against the gourmet turkey club sandwich, but the 10-deep line for gyros tells you that there's something you may be missing. Victory will taste ever sweeter when it comes as surprise. Go ahead, take a gamble when you aren't entirely certain.

It will likely never come down to this, but the idea of having everything hinge on one completely arbitrary and ridiculous decision is part of what makes filling out a bracket so fun. Can't decide whose familyyours or hersto visit over the holidays? We dare you to leave it up to chance.

5. Don't Abandon Your Loyalties...but Sometimes Abandon Them

Just like some crazy fools will always pick their alma mater to win the tournament, you've got to consider your patriotism: It might be worth compromising glorious victory (e.g. having that dreamy Labor Day vacation in Hawaii), if your ego and reputation are at stake (e.g. attending your cousin's wedding in Hoboken). Maybe refer back to Tip #1 and give it a good think.

Prepare yourself for total enlightenment.

For some, the sacred bracket represents a chance to show off all that theyve gleaned from months spent watching obscure mid-major teams. For others, its an opportunity to pick schools based on what their mascot looks like. Inevitably, its the latter who ends up winning the pool and pocketing a few hundred in cash as the *SportsCenter* anchor seethes at his desk. No matter how you fare, dont discount the pseudo-sciences ability to help settle your toughest debates. 

How to Use Bracketology to Make Important Life Decisions (and Some Not-So Important Ones, Too)

In an interview with ESPN Magazine, Norris explains that his father instilled in him the importance of consuming only what one needs, and living off of the bare minimum. So, as he trains with the Blue Jays in hopes of joining the roster, Norris is parked in the Florida suburbs (having been evicted from the beaches by local police), cooking from a portable stove, reading Kerouac, and writing in his "thought journal" daily.

Says Norris of anyone who might balk at his behavior: "It's like a yin-and-yang thing for me. I'm not going to change who I am just because people think it's weird. The only way I'm going to have a great season is by starting out happy and balanced and continuing to be me. It might be unconventional, but to feel good about life I need to have some adventure....Adventure is freedom."

Consider the other ways he lives modestly and with awareness: The 21-year-old has never tasted alcohol nor done drugs, and he has aligned himself with an environmental non-profit called 1% for the Planet. He rejects most technologypreferring hardcover to e-readersand the van (which he named "Shaggy" after the Scooby Doo character) is equipped with solar panels. After signing with the team, he still took a summer job with an outdoor outfitter in his Tennessee hometown, busying himself by working with other environmental enthusiasts.

And, befitting of his persona, the guy shaves his face with an axe. Let's just leave it at that.

Check out the whole interview at ESPN Mag. 

Photos by Nathaniel Wood for ESPN

Look out, Brian Wilson: Daniel Norris's beard is primed for the majors.

Daniel Norris got a $2 million signing bonus from the Toronto Blue Jays, and his consistent 92-mph fastball is expected to elevate him to the big leagues soon, but there's another fascinating side to the rookie pitcher: He lives in a 1978 Westfalia camper behind Walmart. Oh, and he shaves his face with an axe.

This Millionaire Blue Jays Pitching Prospect Lives in a Van and Shaves with an Axe

Whether youre rooting for the home team (Go Pats! Go Seahawks!) or you dont have a clue what a third down is, watching the massive spectacle also known as the Super Bowl has undeniable appeal. The food spreads alone are enough to make us tune in. These are the things that make us wanna do a touchdown dance.

The national anthem renditions that give us chills.

The prospect of witnessing a ridiculous touchdown dance.

The winners with their cuter-than-the-Puppy-Bowl kids.

The commercials that inevitably exploit our weakness for puppies.

And the commercial that officially put us in camp Kendrick.

The halftime shows that cause the Twitter-sphere to lose it.

And the halftime shows that would have if Twitter had existed.

The built-in excuse to eat unlimited chips and dip.

And the excuse to sit on your couch for five hours.

Follow Birchbox on Instagram for the chance to win a subscription every time there's a touchdown during the big game!

The commercials! The halftime show! The touchdown dances! The actual game is just one of the many things well be watching on Sunday. 

10 Reasons Why the Super Bowl is Awesome (Besides Football)