A couple of things that may be of interest to you about the upcoming month.
June.
The Summer Solstice occurs towards the end of June. We all know that it is the day with the most daylight hours. June, as a month, has the most daylight hours of any month. So, if you like the light, bask it up. I should add. This is only true in the northern hemisphere of the planet. Things are much darker if you live south of the equator this time of year.
Here’s another thing. Though you may be putting on your swimsuit a little more often this month, it is not such a great time to start a diet. National Rocky Road Day falls on the 2nd of June. And. National Macaroon Day comes to us on June 3rd. And finally, National Chocolate Ice-Cream Day is on the 7th. Let’s not forget the frozen candy bars at the pool concession stand. They are like magic.
I could go on about June facts here, but most are old news. Yet. I can’t get away from this without mentioning the June bug. Also known as the June beetle. It is, in fact, named for the month itself. June bugs are only found between May and June in the USA. They won’t harm you. Those little dudes and dudettes survive on a mixed diet of plants. I should also add this is better than the December bug, which normally comes to us with a cough and a runny nose.
So count the days of June and enjoy them.
Oh, and while you are counting, think of this. Imagine having to write out the numbers one through 1,000. Like not the numbers, 1,2, 3. But the word forms. One, two, three, four, and on. As you are writing, you may notice that you never use one particular vowel from the alphabet. It happens to be the second most common letter in English. Go figure. So if you are writing away, you would write the “letter A” until you reach 1,000.
Wait, there’s more.
One thousand is the first number that, when spelled out, contains an a.
One billion is the first number that contains a b.
One octillion is the first number that contains a c.
One hundred is the first number that contains a d.
Zero is the first number that contains an e. Starting from one, it’s one.
Four is the first number that contains an f.
Eight is the first number that contains a g.
Three is the first number that contains an h.
Five is the first number that contains an i.
The letters j and k do not appear in the English spelling of any cardinal number.
Eleven is the first number that contains an l.
One million is the first number that contains an m.
One is the first number that contains an n.
Zero is the first number that contains an o. Starting from one, it’s one.
One septillion is the first number that contains a p.
One quadrillion is the first number that contains a q.
Zero is the first number that contains an r. Starting from one, it’s three.
Six is the first number that contains an s.
Two is the first number that contains a t.
Four is the first number that contains a u.
Five is the first number that contains a v.
Two is the first number that contains a w.
Six is the first number that contains an x.
Twenty is the first number that contains a y.
Zero is the first and only number that contains a z. (One zillion is not a real number.)
Seven is the first number not to contain any letter for the first time.
Does this count as a math lesson?
Happy June. Happy counting the hours.
Those daylight hours, which are all the better for seeing the June bugs.
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It is dry, hazy June weather. We are more of the earth, farther from heaven these days.
— Henry David Thoreau
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A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers.
— Plato
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Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers.
— Shakuntala Devi
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Clearly, Shakuntala Devi never met me. Everything around me is not mathematics.
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Counting the June hours, lightly.
