Anticipation and the Tragedy of Zeros

I realized long ago that something that you get all excited about is never worth it in the end.

I was well aware of this before my first Homecoming. Prom, or as they call it at Lutheran high schools Jr/Sr Banquet, was no exception.

SBEMAIL 200 was no exception, I sorta looked forward to it and enjoyed it for the entertainment value it gave, but it wasn't the big bang I thought it'd be.

I guess that's all part of the American Tragedy of Zeros. The fascination with the number zero. Especially when they come together two, three, four times. The whole anticipation for the year 2000 is the clearest example I can make of this. The antithesis of this is how prices usually end with 9's. Like gas ending in 9 tenths of a cent. Prices at WalMart end with .99 just so people think they're a bargain lest the extra cent put you in the poor house.

Why should we put so much emphasis just because we live in a world that lives in a base ten number system?

The Maya lived on a system of 20.

Computers live in a world of 2.

So why should the rolling over of a place in one's digit bring such anticipation and excitement? Who knows. Maybe they like the looks of the 0. Maybe the fact its sometimes written with a dot or a slash through it? The chance of seeing on number three different way bring so much meaning to my life. (Take that seven and Greek seven with a slash through it, also connected and disconnected 4, and those roundy 6 and the 9 that sometimes weeble and some don't fall down.)

Well, who knows. For you enjoyment here's zero zeros.