The messages have been all over Facebook and Tumblr, seemingly dire warnings that there will never be another date like December 12th, 2012 in our lifetimes. As you scroll past the brightly colored block bearing tidings in all kinds of typefaces there is an involuntary moment of panic.
12/12/12 is coming. I shouldn't miss it!
It's Twelve-Twelve-Twelve, y'all!
Um. Okay. The twelfth day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year of the decade occurs the day after tomorrow. So don't miss it!
Now here's my question: What are you going to do about it?
What can you do about it, really, except note that it's happening and go on with your perfectly symmetrical date that will never happen again until 3012?
And oh my stars and Chuck Taylors! Dates like that will never occur again in... No. Nuh-uh. Siddown. I'm going to give you a list of dates that will make your symmetry-lovin' self do an happy little dance for the rest of the century. Ready?
March 10, 2013 (3102013)
April 10, 2014 (4102014)
May 10, 2015 (5102015)
June 10, 2016 (6102016)
July 10, 2017 (7102017)
August 10, 2018 (8102018)
September 10, 2019 (9102019)
February 2, 2020 (02022020)
January 20, 2021 (1202021)
December 2, 2021 (12022021)
February 20, 2022 (2202022)
March 20, 2023 (3202023)
April 20, 2024 (4202024)
May 20, 2025 (5202025)
June 20, 2026 (6202026)
July 20, 2027 (7202027)
August 20, 2028 (8202028)
September 20, 2029 (9202029)
March 2, 2030 (03022030)
January 30, 2031 (1302031)
March 30, 2033 (3302033)
April 30, 2034 (4302034)
28. May 30, 2035 (5302035)
June 30, 2036 (6302036)
July 30, 2037 (7302037)
August 30, 2038 (8302038)
September 30, 2039 (9302039) (Last seven-digit palindrom date in the 21st century)
April 2, 2040 (04022040)
May 2, 2050 (05022050)
June 2, 2060 (06022060)
July 2, 2070 (07022070)
August 2, 2080 (08022080)
September 2, 2090 (09022090)
That list was just the numeric palindrome dates. I haven't even included mirror dates, square rot days and double number days.
So now that you see number combinations in dates are as easy to figure out as tricks with a Texas Instruments Calculator, you have to wonder what the fuss is all about. We can lay claim to all kinds of external forces at work in the universe, but it all boils down to human perception and the need to feel that there is a larger ordering process keeping things securely in their place. Such thing is what drives all kinds of number based beliefs and has done so since humanity started keeping track of the passage of time. It all comes down to that trick of the mind that tells us our perception of time defines how things really are, so those blips of artful number arrangements are meaningful .
So day after tomorrow, have some fun, spend time with your loved ones getting ready for that night's menorah lighting or dusting off the Festivus pole for the 23rd or O Tannenbaum for the 25th. Just keep in mind that Wednesay is as special -or-not- as any other day.
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