Numbers

I like numbers. My brain uses them to organize and remember things. I remember the serial number on the bike I had when I was ten. I also remember the number of my brother's bike that got stolen. I know my Driver's License number. Pi fascinates me. True confession: I was a mathlete in school. Some of my friends and I belonged to Mu Alpha Theta, a high school mathematics honor society, and we were also on a math team and competed in the Fox Valley Math League. It wasn't until I was at UW-Madison, taking second semester calculus for honors when I realized that math and arithmetic were two different things. My appreciation of numbers remains, my love of intergrals and derivatives, not so much!

When I write my blog, I usually just have an idea pop into my head. Much like wiping away the frost on a window, my thoughts become clearer as I go. The idea for this one popped in my head when I was sitting in a waiting area, reading a magazine. (And this is my 46th blog!) I picked up the Time Magazine issue that had the 100 most influential people of 2018. As I started reading the list, I was baffled as to just who these people were. I decided to count. Since I only know 23 of the 100 most influential people, I have since branded myself as culturally illiterate. Another example of my lack of cultural knowledge involves snapchat. I remember I first encountered this app walking with Jacqui in New York. I think it was her second year of college and we were walking to meet up with her roommate and her roommate's parents. I was intrigued that she could record a message while we were walking and send it instantly. I still don't understand why it disappears and isn't saved. Well, I do understand, this generation doesn't need to hang on to things for a long period of time. In the five years since I learned of snap chat, I have sent 26 snaps and received 71. Clearly I am behind the times and out of touch.

I can relate a little of how my parents and their generation must feel with all of the changes. Another number I thought of today is that tomorrow will be my mother's 61st Mother's Day. (She was already a mother by the time I came along). Our society is vastly different from when my parents started a family. While we do have many more modern conveniences, I don't know that every change can be put in the category of progress. Sometimes I long for simpler times.

While we have access to many systems and resources that make our lives easier, many people do not. I've blogged before about Kiva,

micro loans to others on the planet. I noticed this morning that some of my loans have been paid back so I decided to relend the funds. My goal is to loan to all of the 78 countries that Kiva supports. This was my 53rd loan to my 44th country. I always loan to women and hope that my involvement helps to give them a leg up. While I only loan $25 at a time, enough other people do too so it adds up. Speaking of adding up, this falls under the category of it pays to clean. We have a Buick Rondezvous that has reached the end of its usefulness. We just had too many repair bills and decided to let it go. Today I cleaned out the vehicle of anything of value. In the process, I found some money. $123.53 to be exact! This might have been my favorite number of the day. I always keep a $20 bill in my car in case I am ever somewhere and I don't have my purse or I'm out of cash. In the old days, a woman would have mad money to allow herself to get home if she was on a date and something went wrong. Times have changed but I continued to stash the money. I guess I forgot enough times so I just stashed more and more bills. Added to the bills was a random collection of change.

Another number floating in my head is the number 17, as in 17 Days of school! We have much learning and teaching to do during those days but they will go quickly. As I wind down my 28th year in education, I think of the number 1. I received my contract this past week. I am going to sign it for another year. Using an app on my phone, I can chart my sleep. I know that for the last 288 nights, I have averaged 5 hours and 17 minutes of sleep per night. Sitting here thinking and writing is making me long for my bed and I am hoping for a better than average number of hours in bed.

I guess I better take care of number one.