The Numbers have it or do they?

Counting  the cardinals ( photo by Mike)

Inch worm, inch worm, Measuring the marigolds
Could it be, stop and see, How beautiful they are….

Frank Loesser

We have a lot of trees on our acre yard. Mike will tell you there are about 300 and he’s more than willing to go out and actually count them to make sure. That’s the difference between us; he is a “numbers person” and I am not.

I have to make a big effort to learn any new phone numbers, driving license numbers or car license numbers and even now I have to look up my social security number even though I’ve had it for a lot of years. Now Mike on the other hand, can remember a tremendous amount of phone numbers even of homes we lived in ages ago. He knows all the license numbers, even mine, which is very helpful when I have to fill out forms.

The numbering system I use is fairly loose. I use a lot, not many, quite a few, far too many to count, etc rather than basic numerals, That is not to say I can’t understand or do mathematical problems. I was taught the basic skills, recited my times tables until they came out of my mouth automatically and even mastered algebra and calculus when I was young but never really truly enjoyed it or found much use for it. Combine that with growing up in England and figuring out pounds, shillings and pence and pounds, (different kind), ounces and stones and you can see why my love for numbers is not pronounced.

 

When I was teaching grade 1 in the 60s, New Math was all the fashion. Can you imagine a class of 35 kids 6 years old each with their own box of Cuisenaire rods, a clever system of colored blocks based on a numerical size. By manipulating them in different patterns, numbers and basic math was taught. The kids loved them. The noise of all these blocks of color being shifted about was incredible. The rods were forever falling on the floor getting lost. Kids stuck them up their nose and in their ears. Lots of interesting structures were built. How much the kids learned about numbers is debatable.

Trying to visualize large numbers is incredible difficult too. All those huge crowds that gather for large events and someone always seems to be able to say just how many there are. Quite amazing really and not always believable. I liked the idea of the school that was collecting 1,000,000 cents to give to charity but also to let the children visualize a million.

I’ve also noticed that we don’t seem to use millions so much anymore as billions and trillions are much more in fashion. I doubt if many people can even imagine a trillion so it becomes just another word. Writing it is entirely a different puzzle. Just how many zeros would that be? A lot!!

Maybe that’s why I never buy lotto tickets. I can’t imagine those huge amounts of cash and whatever would I do with it if I won it. Lucky numbers feature in many people’s choice for choosing lotto numbers and most people seem to have a regular lucky number.

Now is it a coincidence or just luck that my house number when I first met Mike was 171 and I found out shortly after that his house number was also 171. Did that seal our destiny? Our house number now is 1177 so I can only think luck and good fortune  is still with us.

So numbers except for the few I need to use, hold no fascination for me.

You won’t find me playing Bingo. Meanwhile Mike is fixated on Sudoko but I give up on it after the first line.

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