Words. Words. Words.

1662 words yesterday. (I know...would it have killed me to add four more words to get to the magic 1666 that NaNo recommends?)

Nine hundred 35 so far today.

I've been thinking about numbers as well a words. My father died on 10/29, which is also my best friend's birthday. His father was born on 6/15, which is my brother's birthday. My sister's birthday is today and it would have been a ZERO birthday for her. She would have hated that.

On my last birthday I marked the age that our mother was when she died...Sounds like I'm being morbid, doesn't it? But it's just the calculus of existence. My brother and I are only 21 months apart and now we both wonder, sometimes, which one of us will be the last. (Like the Highlander, there can be only one.) Neither of us was particularly lucky in the genetic lottery but we've tried to adapt. He's very fit, with the lean body of a runner. But he smokes. I don't run unless I'm rushing somewhere but I don't have a lot of bad habits either. It makes us even I think. Mostly it makes us both sad to know we've outlived our baby sister. And I think it still surprises both of us that the grief is still so raw after three years. Three years? Another number.

Then there are the other numbers that matter. Today's election day. If you haven't voted already, go do so. If you haven't? Don't complain to me...