Thursday, August 23, 2007

rock of ages

Today I become 24. According to my birthday theory, I should have celebrated yesterday.

For a long while I was reluctant to turn 24. I didn't like 24, thought it had no redeeming qualities--especially compared to the marvelous and glorious 23. 23, because it was a prime number and also the day of the month I was born. My golden birthday, golden year, has drawn to a close.

But two days ago I realized an important thing. 24 does have redeeming value. It is 4!, or 4 factorial. A very special age. The only age where you can be a factorial and know what a factorial is. At, 3!, age 6, I must admit I did not know. But at 4! I do. 5!, I hope I'm dead long before that.

I am compiling a list about reasons to love ones age. It does have holes, however. Those years are looking bleak.

<10: Too young to care about age number excitement. Just want to get older.
10: The world of double digits welcomes you.
11: Repeating number age...and prime, but too young to care.
12: Finally get out of primary!
13: Become a distinguished teen. And a prime, once again.
14-15: Nothing exciting about these years. I don't know how I survived them.
16: drivers license. and date. and 4^2. and 2^4.
17: My favorite number, also a lovely prime. And a Dancing Queen. Only seventeen.
18: can vote.
19: can buy cigarettes. (ha)
20: finally out of teens, can now be taken seriously by those old college boys (not that it did any good)
21: can buy alcohol. (theoretically)
22: another repeating number. Positively thrilling.
23: prime, golden, odd, etc. lovely.
24: 4!
25: 5^2
26: a very bleak year.
27: 3^3
28...not yet compiled.

9 comments:

Madeline said...

Happy B-day Laura! Hehe, you have good taste in books. ;)

-Maddie

(Oh I found this post on Cello Bloggers... Just in case you were wondering.)

Juliana said...

A bleak year indeed.

Anonymous said...

17 is my favorite too. We should be friends.

I propose a new mathematical symbol, a symbol for sums like the factorial symbol: the upside-down exclamation mark. At 13¡, say, you'll have led a nice full life.

As for 19, the legal age of tobacco purchase has only been raised to 19 in Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey, Utah, and Nassau, Suffolk, and Onondaga Counties in New York.

R. is 5^2 and it's his golden year, so he's a golden square. An *odd* golden square!

I was 18 a month too late to cast my vote against the Evil Shrubbery, so I was bitter and 18 was not special for voting. But 18 was when the odd golden square and I first kissed. Of course he was not OGS then. But it rescued 18 from bitter bleakness.

I'm afraid I haven't got anything redeeming on 26.

kt said...

bleak! You are making me depressed.

Sealion II said...

28 is a perfect number; its factors add up to itself (1+2+4+7+14=28). So you've got that covered, too.

cellodonna said...

Happy Birthday!

Hmmm ... so what do you have to say about 61? Well, I'll tell you ... it sure makes all those other numbers, like 24, 25, 26, etc. look really really good to me!

Donna (got here from Guanaco's, of course!)

Maricello said...

I second what Donna said! I like the way you think about numbers.

This year was a big year in our family: daughter turned 18, son turned 21, and husband and I turned 60!

At 24 we got married, but I have to admit I loved being 23. Also 38. :-)

Laura said...

J the m, I turned 19 while in the state of Utah (as you well know). Convenient for me, else I would have had to fall back on it as a lovely prime.

Anonymous said...

I am 24 until the end of the week when I turn 25. I'm having a kareoke birthday part to celebrate. We're having carrot cake and rootbeer floats. Wish you could come!

So long, and thanks for all the fish.