2018: By The Numbers

I love Halloween.  And the 304th day of 2018 was 10/31/18 - HALLOWEEN!  I took a personal day from work (yes, I checked email and even called in to some meetings), but it was a relaxing day and then went on my annual mission to hand out candy to as many Oaklyn kids as we can find!  Halloween music on the radio, wonderful weather, a great friend as a co-pilot, smiling kids, and full-sized candy bars (or Skittles or Swedish Fish for the non-chocoholics).  It was close to a perfect Halloween.  So, for our number of the day, we hold up 234 (the number of candies we handed out today) and we play one of the most Halloweeny songs there is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxcM3nCsglA

It's Day #303 of 2018 and the palindromic day was a good day, as usual.  But 10/30/18 is also Henry Winkler's 73rd birthday.  So 73 will be our number of the day.  And the Happy Days Theme song is my earworm song of the evening!  :-D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGITFJr_4Po

10/29/18 has come and gone.  A normal day, pretty much, capped by a thrilling 2-1 win in the next to last Fall Softball game of the season.  But Day #302 of 2018 is also National Cat Day and, even though I am much more a fan of the canine than the feline, it's always a good excuse to honor the number 9 (for lives) and this classic from Al Stewart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqZc7ZQURMs

10/28/18 is National Mother in Law Day.  And, on the 301st day of  2018, I reflected on how lucky I am to have the Mother in Law I do.  She would do anything for her family and almost anything for other people she knows.  So, today's number of the day will be 17406 (her zip code in York, PA), and I could not use the classic Ernie K. Doe song, Mother in Law (or any of the versions of it that I found).  While the song is catchy, the lyrics are really mean.  So, when I think of my MIL, I think of music.  It's at the root of much of her talents and work.  So, I picked the Andrew Lloyd Weber song about music (of the night). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77umP7IRxD4

10/27/2018 is day #300 of 2018.  300 days.... of this crazy year.  And the times truly are crazy (today's news was rough) but we had a day filled with social events with people we love.  So that was good, even if the news is bad and the world seem to be going crazy.  The number of the day is 300, and this song by Sia (the theme to the movie 300), will be our song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf7hD10QQkI

For the 12th year in a row, the last Friday in October found me at Oaklyn Public School chaperoning the OMAYSC Red Ribbon Halloween Dance.  And, on the 299th day of 2018, I reflected on the fact that my kids were less than OMAYSC age when we started, and now, on 10/26/19, they are past the OMAYSC age and have moved on to High School.  And these dances are important to give kids a place to go and have fun on a Friday evening, even if the last 30 minutes seem to take forever :-).  So 12 will be our number of the day, for the years I have been chaperoning, and Lee Ann Womack sings a nice song about dancing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV-Z1YwaOiw

180 years ago, on the 298th day of the year, Georges Bizet was born.  So, on 10/25/18, a pretty basic, nondescript day (and that is OK!), let's celebrate with my favorite Bizet composition, and have 1838 (the year of his birth) as the number of the day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmuFOuh3QHs

As I sat in the dugout in Deptford on the evening of the 297th day of 2018, I was cold.  And I am almost NEVER cold.  But 40 degree weather on 10/24/18 made me feel as if we were playing Winter Ball, not Fall Ball.  Brrrrrrrr.  40 is our number of the day, too cold for softball.  And the song will be an ice themed song from Robert Matthew Van Winkle.  BRRRRR! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog8ou-ZepE

The number for the 296th day was obvious to me.  10/23 is Mole Day!  So our number is 6.02 x 10^23 for an Avagadro's Number of reasons.  Today is also Weird Al's birthday!  So we will go to bed singing a polka medley by the master of parody. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRJILK3NxSM

10/22/2018 is day #295 of 2018.  295 happens to be a highway that I often drive on (today, in fact, I did).  Today was a day off filled with errands and a winning Field Hockey AND softball game.  But 295 will be our number of the day, and Rascal Flatts will sing about highways. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UdZIh8_xGc

I thought a lot about "Old Chestnut" church music on the 294th day of 2018.  We started Sunday, 10/21/18, at Church.  A fellow bass in the choir gave me a copy of The Palms (maybe one of my favorite old chestnuts that few people seem to like as much as I do).  And then, in the service, we sang one of the true classic hyms, Great is Your Faithfulness.  I love this hymn for the harmonies and I love singing it in church (I think I may have sang a bit too loud this morning, but..... sorry, not sorry!).  So, in honor of the year Thomas O. Chisholm wrote the song, we will have 1923 as our number of the day.  And an old recording of this old chestnut will accompany it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTKIqmdfHSk

The 293rd Day of 2018 was pretty nondescript.  But, on 10/20/18, we did go to BJs to buy Halloween Candy!!!  I love preparing for Halloween and our reverse trick-or-treating!  It's only 11 days until Halloween - 11.  So 11 is our number of the day and Bow Wow Wow will sign what all of our kids are thinking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoXVYSV4Xcs

I went to my third home Penn Football game on the 292nd day of 2018.  And, although the palindromic power had created a pretty good day for me at work, the power was not enough, on 10/19/18, to bring a victory home for Penn.  Penn lost to Yale 23-10, but it was Family Weekend and it was great to see all of the Penn Band Parents, Siblings, Grandparents, and other family members participating in tonight's festivities.  And so ends the 33rd season of Penn Football for me (we will be on college tours and will miss Homecoming, sadly).  33 thus is our number of the night as the 33rd Fall Semester of mine on Penn's campus is about half over.  And this classic version of Cheer Penn will ring in my ears for a while tonight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzV-Ctmwj7U

Merchantville Softball played Waterford Little League on the evening of the 291st day of 2018.  And, on 10/18/18, it was cooooold!  (It is always cold there but tonight it was really cold).  The first cold snap of the Fall has arrived.  I even turned on the car's heat on the trip back.  It's supposed to go down to 39 tonight (first time in the 30s since April), so 39 is our number of the day.  And, although it's not 32, I still think this Foreigner song applies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC99JhQq-3w

10/17/18 was another typical Fall day.  The 290th day of 2018 was filled with work/school, Field Hockey (WIN), piano lessons, homework, and email.  I know it may sound routine, but sometimes a routine day is what one needs.  Today is also Eminem's birthday (10/17/72).  So we will have 1972 as our number in Eminem's honor.  And, although I recognize Eminem as a brilliant artist, I do not usually like much of his work.  But, this song (that also features Nate Reuss) is an amazing song (great chord progressions) so we will play it tonight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HlyDViE954

On the 289th day of 2018, it was National Boss' Day.  I have to admit I did not do anything special  on 10/16/18 for my current supervisor (other than putting in a hard day's work), but I do appreciate that, at Penn, I have had, in 32+ years, 10 bosses who have mentored me, guided me, and, yes, sometimes chided me.  Many of them are still friends, even after they are no longer my direct supervisor.  So, in their honor, the number 10 is our number of the day.  And, for our song, we'll go with this one, from Fifth Harmony..... not 100% applicable, but I like that it's called BO$$. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4JfPlry-iQ

10/15/18, the 288th day of 2018, is National Grouch Day.  I am actually not feeling grouchy today, a pretty good day at work and afterwards.  But there are only 77 days (11 weeks) left in 2018 so 77 will be our number of the day and we will listen to a classic Sesame Street song from my favorite grouch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1SiSUrvUnk

I did not live in Oaklyn in 2001 when the initial Oaklyn Town Picnic but, on the 287th day of 2018, I was once again present to be grillin' (on a Sunday Afternoon) for the 18th Oaklyn Town Picnic.  10/14/18 started early with the 5K and continued with the grilling and the day was truly great!  For our number of the day, we will hold up 18 - let's hope there are many, many more.  And, although grillin' is not groovin', we like this song anyway! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ft8WLX9G1I

10/13/18 is the anniversary for a bunch of my Facebook Friends.  I enjoyed looking at pictures of then and now.  It is also two days after the anniversary of my maternal grandparents and I loved the picture my mom posted, for TBT, of them in the 50s.  So, on the 286th day of 2018, let's hold up 101318 as our number of the day and listen to the Minions sing Happy Anniversary, just because. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w3u1kvxQvI

In addition to being the 285th day of 2018, 10/12/18 is also the 48th birthday of actor, Kirk Cameron.  So we will have 48 as our number of the day and play his TV show's theme song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8aYJhA34ag

10/11/18 was the 30th National Coming Out Day!  I am so happy to be, on the 284th day of 2018, reading many of my friends FB posts of their story, coming out.  I am honored that people have chosen me to be a person to whom they have come out.  I wish for a time where people do not have to be in, to come out, and we can all love each other for who were are and see the goodness in everyone.  For the number of the day, 30!  And Diana Ross sings us to sleep. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-mjl63e0ms

On the 283rd day of 2018 I was pleased to find out it was Hug a Drummer Day!  And, on 10/10/18, the Penn Band played at the SHS Flu Clinic to promote flu shots on Penn's Campus.  So, connecting the dots, we will honor the members of the Drummer Listserv with the number 130 (representing drummers past and present) and send them all a virtual hug with this classic Benny Goodman drum feature song!  DRUM ON! <hug> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhyhP_5VfKM

As palindromic days go, day #282 of 2018 was not as amazing as some of those of the past.  I mean, it was not that bad of a day, but not remarkable in many ways.  But, on 10/9/18, I thought about John Lennon today because Breakfast with the Beatles reminded me that today would have been his 78th birthday.  So, for our number tonight, we hold up 78 (can you imagine the music we have missed out on in the past 38 years?).  And, speaking of Imagine, it will be our song of the day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVHxpHmDjEY

It is the 281st day of 2018 and that means there are only 84 days left in 2018 (cannot wait to turn the proverbial page).  Today we will hold up the number 84 as our number of the day and, as a really tired guy, we will use this Broadway song to remind us to "just keep swimming!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPecUB-QllY

The 280th day of 2018 is World Communion Sunday.  I really appreciated Pastor Michael's words this morning, "none of us are truly worthy, but we are all welcome."  The inclusivity this morning was a welcome salve after this week's politics and news flow.  For tonight's number, according to Pew, 31.2% of the world's population are Christian.  So 31.2% will be our number of the day.  But we should also remember that means the majority of the world (68.8%) are not Christian, and I believe God loves us ALL!  There were many types of bread at today's service, representing breads from all across the world.  So I figure a song from Bread would be the most appropriate as our song of the night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJQe--G4OXs

On the 279th day of 2018 we went to see the Philadelphia Union for the 2nd time.  And, on 10/6/18, the Union won 5-1 (they won 6-1 when we went last year, so apparently we bring their offense good luck!) :-)  But the best part was spending time with good friends we do not see nearly enough.  I did some research and the Union name was based on the union of the first 13 colonies (of which Philadelphia was the capital!)  Their "Join or Die" slogan is from Ben Franklin's political cartoon of the same title (with a snake), printed in 1754.  So 1754 is our number of the day and, to honor the Union's mascot, the snake (they call theirs Phang!), we will play the classic Duran Duran tune!  GO UNION! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6p5Q6_JBes

I heard this morning, on Breakfast with the Beatles, Chris Carter (the DJ) told me that 10/5/18 is National Get Funky Day.  So, on the 278th day of 2018 let's funk out to a classic from Patrick Crowley (featuring Sylvester) and 1982, the year of the song's release, will be our number.  Thank God it's Friday, and a Funky Friday at that! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeYUTbU_iTw

On the 277th year of 2018, 158 new members joined the 25-Year Club at Penn.  It is inspiring to see all of the long-time employees at this annual event (and the food was pretty tasty as well)!  10/4/18 was a good day at work, and a nice evening in Houston Hall with thousands of years of Penn experience all communing together!  For our number, we will hold up 158 to honor each and every one of our new members and let's listen to the Penn Band play our Alma Mater as we head off to sleep. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bFRd8-a2UE

The 276th day of 2018 was also National Walk to School Day.  But, on 10/3/2018, my kids did not walk to school.  They rarely do.  Sarah or I take them each and every morning.  Friends too, sometimes.  But, we will still use this day as the inspiration for our number of the day, 0.8 (mile distance from our house to Colls HS IF my kids ever have to walk (they DO sometimes walk home)) and we'll take the easy way out with this kiddie song of the day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsIb5L0_pGY

10/2/2018 was not only day #175 of 2018, it was also picture day at the girls' school.  It was a long day so not much to say more about this, except to hold up 38 as the number of the day (each girl will get 38 prints of the shot today) and to listen to J. Geils and his band sing about taking pics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHo43B6nu60

Happy October!  10/1/18 is National Hair Day!  So, on the 274th day of 2018, even though _I_ have far fewer than 100.000 hairs (the typical count for a brown haired human head), let's honor the 100.000 hairs with the number of the day and listen to a classic ballad from a HAIR Band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ETENrv8cnU