Thanks to you, Cassa Hardin, wherever you are...
...it’s all your fault.
Cassa Hardin got me started on a little fetish I have with numbers. I met her at halftime of a JV basketball game...back in the day. (Okay, kids o’mine, WAY back in the day!) She was a cheerleader for Nooksack Valley, as I was a cheerleader for Lynden Christian.
Yes - I was one of THOSE...but it was, as I said, way back when...when cheerleaders actually encouraged the team, and got the crowd to do the same. Not like it is now – some kind of pseudo-sport of its own, with the game as merely a backdrop, and not a particularly relevant one most of the time...
Oops! Excuse me – my opinion is showing...
And I digress...as usual.
Anyway, as we chatted over the cokes our concession stand provided for us to share with the opposing teams cheerleaders, Cassa mentioned her fascination with numbers on the clock, especially duplicates like: 2:22 or 3:33, or my personal favorite, 4:44! She told us she had a dream that it was 7:77, and woke to find it was 7:17 and she had missed her alarm...Fascinating!!
Now to be fair, you must remember that digital clocks were the newest gadgets of the day at that time. My parents had one of the early models that actually had a tiny rolodex of numbers inside it. We watched with rapt attention to see 1:59 turn to 2:00...so cool! And then to randomly look over and catch an 11:11, or 5:55, or 12:34...It was worthy of announcement to the rest of the family!
I really caught on to Cassa’s suggestion of special, though unknown, meanings to these occurrences as I was a big fan of digital clocks. Ever since I had missed learning to tell time in Second Grade (we went to Aunt Sal’s wedding in Montana during this crucial unit), I’d been counting by 5's to tell the time...Digital clocks brought certainty to my schedule, and saved time by being so direct about what time it was...Then add the mystery of waking in the night to find that it is 2:22...I mean – what are the chances?? What could it mean??
This fetish has taken on new life for me as I now seem to have more opportunity to look at the clock in the middle of night...Insomnia, my frequent companion, allows me more than one look per night at the clock by my bedside. If I have to wake up anyway, it’s more fun to see 3:33 on the clock and wonder at the timing of my waking...As I said before, 4:44 is my personal favorite. I love the number 4 – it’s so orderly and even, and if I made it to 4:44 before waking up, it’s been a good night. Part of me still wants to announce, “Hey look! It’s 4:44!” but I’ve found that Randy does not share my fascination...and my kids, raised almost solely on digital time, don’t get it at all.
I do feel kind of sorry that you never get to see 7:77, or 8:88, but since learning of the anti-Christ, I have no desire to see 6:66...Poor 6, the pariah of numbers...I hate to tell customers at the Thrift Store, “Your total is $6.66.” I almost want to ask them if they would like to put something back...
Oh my! I’ve got it bad – and now you know...Not sure that telling you this was a good decision.
On the upside, I’m easily entertained, which can be a good thing out here on The Farm.
Cassa Hardin got me started on a little fetish I have with numbers. I met her at halftime of a JV basketball game...back in the day. (Okay, kids o’mine, WAY back in the day!) She was a cheerleader for Nooksack Valley, as I was a cheerleader for Lynden Christian.
Yes - I was one of THOSE...but it was, as I said, way back when...when cheerleaders actually encouraged the team, and got the crowd to do the same. Not like it is now – some kind of pseudo-sport of its own, with the game as merely a backdrop, and not a particularly relevant one most of the time...
Oops! Excuse me – my opinion is showing...
And I digress...as usual.
Anyway, as we chatted over the cokes our concession stand provided for us to share with the opposing teams cheerleaders, Cassa mentioned her fascination with numbers on the clock, especially duplicates like: 2:22 or 3:33, or my personal favorite, 4:44! She told us she had a dream that it was 7:77, and woke to find it was 7:17 and she had missed her alarm...Fascinating!!
Now to be fair, you must remember that digital clocks were the newest gadgets of the day at that time. My parents had one of the early models that actually had a tiny rolodex of numbers inside it. We watched with rapt attention to see 1:59 turn to 2:00...so cool! And then to randomly look over and catch an 11:11, or 5:55, or 12:34...It was worthy of announcement to the rest of the family!
I really caught on to Cassa’s suggestion of special, though unknown, meanings to these occurrences as I was a big fan of digital clocks. Ever since I had missed learning to tell time in Second Grade (we went to Aunt Sal’s wedding in Montana during this crucial unit), I’d been counting by 5's to tell the time...Digital clocks brought certainty to my schedule, and saved time by being so direct about what time it was...Then add the mystery of waking in the night to find that it is 2:22...I mean – what are the chances?? What could it mean??
This fetish has taken on new life for me as I now seem to have more opportunity to look at the clock in the middle of night...Insomnia, my frequent companion, allows me more than one look per night at the clock by my bedside. If I have to wake up anyway, it’s more fun to see 3:33 on the clock and wonder at the timing of my waking...As I said before, 4:44 is my personal favorite. I love the number 4 – it’s so orderly and even, and if I made it to 4:44 before waking up, it’s been a good night. Part of me still wants to announce, “Hey look! It’s 4:44!” but I’ve found that Randy does not share my fascination...and my kids, raised almost solely on digital time, don’t get it at all.
I do feel kind of sorry that you never get to see 7:77, or 8:88, but since learning of the anti-Christ, I have no desire to see 6:66...Poor 6, the pariah of numbers...I hate to tell customers at the Thrift Store, “Your total is $6.66.” I almost want to ask them if they would like to put something back...
Oh my! I’ve got it bad – and now you know...Not sure that telling you this was a good decision.
On the upside, I’m easily entertained, which can be a good thing out here on The Farm.
Comments
I also like the numbers 3 and 17. Not sure why 17 but when someone says "I have a question" I say the answer is 17 (sometimes I mix up the numbers just to keep stuff fresh).
4:44!!! Yay!