Blink-182 once said, "Nobody likes you when you're 23."

23. George Harrison was 23 when the Beatles released Revolver.
23. Twenty-three is the ninth prime number, the smallest odd prime that is not a twin prime.
23. Nobel Prize-winning economist John Forbes Nash, the inspiration for the film A Beautiful Mind, was obsessed with the number 23 and it featured prominently in his nervous breakdown. He claimed that Pope John XXIII was in fact himself, the evidence being that 23 was his favourite number. Nash also published only 23 scientific articles.
23. Michael Jordan wore number 23.
23. 23 is the atomic number of Vanadium.
23. Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times. 
23. Psalm 23, also known as the Shepherd Psalm, is possibly the most quoted and best known Psalm.
23. The 23 in South Africa refers to the 23 conscientious objectors who publicly refused to do military service in the Apartheid army in 1987. The following years the number increased to 143 (in 1988) and 771 (in 1989), with Apartheid being dismantled from 1990 onward.
23. The sum of the first 23 primes is 874, which is divisible by 23, a property shared by few other numbers.


* In accordance with the Knox College honor code, I hereby state that my sole source for this information was Wikipedia.** While I realize Wikipedia isn't exactly a reliable resource when it comes to academic integrity, it's my birthday, so I will cry if I want to (and pretend like Wikipedia is the end-all be-all of knowledge). ***
**The George Harrison one I knew without Wikipedia.
***Blogger should have footnotes so one can properly cite one's sources. 

7 Things I Learned This Week #17

1. Graduation robes were originally designed to keep people warm in the cold halls where commencement usually commenced. They are now a fashion statement meant to separate new graduates based on how well they can stand sitting in 100 degree weather while wearing stifling black clothing in the sun. *
2. It is possible  for me to wine 1st place in a race on Mario Kart if no one can see the screen and I am riding a bike that looks like an adorable ducky.
3. Snapple fact #480: You can tell which day a loaf of bread was baked by the color of its plastic twist tag.
4. This day in history: Helen Keller was named a communist by the FBI 1949. 
5. Knox has an award simply called "Outstanding Senior Award." **
6. Knox College has only had 19 presidents since its founding in 1837.
7. Some buffets have started to say they are "All You Care To Eat" buffets rather than "All You Can Eat." I think this is a very positive, if minuscule, step in the right direction.

If you can't tell, it was a very Knox-y weekend.

* I learned this while attending Knox College's 166 graduation ceremony from both the program (origin of the robes) and some of the graduates (they were very uncomfortable with the heat).
**One of my friends got it this year, because he really is outstanding.

I blog, therefore I am.

But I haven't been blogging lately. Does that mean that I am not?
I've been busy with living life, mentally preparing to turn 23 (that's a big number), spending my last days in the midwest, and gearing up for a big move. For those of you who don't know, I am moving to El Paso, Texas, in just under two weeks.

I know, I know. I am moving from somewhere cold and green to somewhere hot and (more or less) brown. But do not forget that Las Vegas was the first environment I ever knew, and it is a desert. Also, I hate the cold. I think a year without snow will do me some good. I spent most of this past winter trying to figure out why my feet were always numb and came to the conclusion that I am a cold-blooded creature, most likely a turtle. I do like to hide from people. Though I would imagine the claustrophobia would inhibit my living in a shell.

Another thing I have heard is, "You're moving to Texas?" Yes. Yes I am. I am reconciling this fact with the knowledge that El Paso is only a few miles away from New Mexico and El Paso-ans (El Paso-ites?) do not speak with the southern drawl that is typical of Texans. Don't get me wrong. I have plenty of family from Texas and the South in general. But I have such a tough time not getting distracted when someone speaks with the very slow, twangy dialect that is so prevalent in the South. My mind just starts to wander and I try to guess the next word the person I am speaking with will say and start to have my own conversation in my head. This habit doesn't really lend itself to productive conversations when trying to get to know someone new.

I also don't speak Spanish, something I hear is pretty prevalent in El Paso since you can turn toward the South from just about anywhere and see Mexico. I'll just hope that I meet every person that speaks German in town so I can communicate with people and make friends. Or there is also the option of learning Spanish...The thought of that just sends chills down my spine. It's been so long since I switched gears and started learning German that much of Spanish pronunciation is gone from my mind.

But I'm sure I'll make plenty of new friends with all of the cacti in the desert.