September 10, 2021 ~ Friday
I sat down to write a totally different blog piece today. It’s gray and cool out – very autumnal. I look out my dining window and see my (badly needing pruning) maple – branches heavy under the weight of so many whirly-bird “helicopter” seed pods. They are turning brown … and soon they will flutter down and cover my lawn and clog my mower.
Last night was luscious. I walked the cliff under a cotton candy sky … striped pink and baby blue. My 9000 steps carrying me home past deer, bunnies, too many slugs to mention (so gross), and one kitty who walked with me for a bit – meowing the whole way. Nothing like a little kitty cat chat! It was nearly 70 when I walked back through my gate in the increasing darkness. The cobalt skies seemed to arrive sooner each night this week … last night it was dark by 8:15.
But, that post – the one I was pondering while on my walk – will have to wait because today I realized that I have written 500 blog posts! While I am thrilled and surprised by that achievement, part of me thinks that number should be more as I did start out challenging myself to write every day for a year … making that a good 365 posts. And in all these years since I’ve only posted another 135? That doesn’t seem right … but I guess it is!
So, I’m thinking of all things 500 … and here are a few things that pertain to that number.
The big 500 … or “D” if we were using Roman numerals. Seems funny to have one letter for such a big number. Which got me thinking about – who still uses Roman numerals? Are they all that common? There are only a handful of them – so, why haven’t I memorized them and their combinations? (I = 1, V= 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1000.) If you see XIX that is the number 19 … 10 + (10-1). Apparently, around 1300 a.d. Roman numerals were replaced by the Hindu-Arabic numbers that are used today. But, you can still see those fancy antiquated numerals still carved into building cornerstones and used in movie credits and titles. They are also used in names of monarchs, popes, ships and sporting events (think the Olympics or the Super/Puppy Bowl) as well as being used in chemistry to denote groups of the Periodic Table and in the field of astronomy to designate moons.
The Indy 500 is an automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which is in (oddly enough) Speedway, IN. It is usually held Memorial Day weekend/the last weekend in May. The 200-lap, 500 mile race is on a 2.5 mile oval race circuit. It was built in 1909 at the cost of $3 million ($86 million in today’s money), covers 560 acres and is the largest (and probably the noisiest) sports venue in the world. The venue is nicknamed “The Brickyard” because the original surface of the track was paved in bricks. This year was the Indy’s 105th race.
The number 500 is also what is known as an “Angel Number”. (I don’t make this stuff up!) It represents a combination of energies and attributes that symbolize major life changes related to the process of one’s spiritual development.
In numerology, it also signifies change of cycles and phases in your life, endings of important things and situations, and making space for new ones … as well as potential and new/fortunate opportunities, adaptability, resourcefulness, freedom, independence, adventure, learning lessons from experience, wholeness and making significant decisions and choices. It is also a sign of intelligence and creativity. Number 500 also promotes the courage and personal freedom to live and serve your soul mission as your intuition and inner-knowing dictates.
Hmm … maybe I’m onto something here!
Mathematically, the #500 is an even composite number composed of two prime numbers multiplied together. And if you want to be impressed even more with my mathematical prowess … it has twelve divisors.
500 seconds is equal to 8 minutes and 20 seconds. To count from 1 to 500 would take you about half that time. 500 hours is almost 21 days. 500 days comprise 16.5 months and 500 months equal about 41.7 years. 500 years are 5 centuries.
Roughly 500 gumballs fit into an average gumball machine. (Get out your pennies!)
The $500 bill, which is no longer in circulation, has President William McKinley’s face on it. The $500 bill dates to 1918 and was in use for 50 years until 1968 when it was discontinued for (surprise, surprise) lack of use/need!
The common commercial laying hen lays about 500 eggs every two years.
The Nigersaurus (an ancient sauropod that looked strangely akin to a platypus – in a cute, reptilian way) was discovered in the Republic of Niger (hence the name). It had 500 teeth that were stored, in vertical columns, in its muzzle at the front of its mouth. Each tooth lasted only about two weeks before a replacement moved into place! Something like a Pez dispenser – dino-style!
There are approximately 500 species of beetles … creepy crawlies, one and all. Well, except the ladybug who is a sweet and darling little insect and a good garden dweller.
This year in history … 500 years ago:
The 12th Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Jiajing, came into power. He apparently, was not a likable guy, and his mistresses plotted an assassination against him – it failed. He lived but they were all executed. However, he later died of mercury poisoning – which he drank in a quest for eternal life. (Hmm, beware idiots as it sounds vaguely familiar to the Lysol and ivermectin “medical” treatments for Covid-19!)
Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez brought down the last of the Aztec Empire, tortured the Emperor and ultimately had him executed because he failed to produce treasures and gold. Brutal!
Historians believe that Catherine Howard was born this year. She ultimately became King Henry VIII’s fifth wife at the ripe old age of 17 or so. He was 50. Gross me out. She was found to have had other lovers and was (like her cousin, Ann Boleyn) beheaded.
And who can ever forget about Ferdinand Magellan – the explorer we all learned about in 4th grade. He was the originator of the journey to circumnavigate the globe. His crew finished the trip after he died – being killed in a battle – prior to the journey’s completion and arrival back in Spain.
I’m seeing a very gruesome and bloody past here. Yuck!
On a lighter note – there are roughly 500 seeds in a packet of zucchini seeds! No wonder when you plant one packet you get enough zukes to feed an army! I’m making oven fried zukes right now!
And with that – I just walked into the kitchen to check on the zukes and the clock on the range read 5:00! How coincidental. Another 500! Time to feed me and the dogs.
Here’s to (maybe) another 500 blog posts! Go Lobster!