Well, number 33 it is - LOL! Funny, as there are 33 comments here currently too as I am starting to write this (this will make more sense in a bit).
One of the better days I have in the past 12 months happened last year. I had a job interview last March for a wonderful company. It had been a few years since I had actually interviewed in person and properly, so I was a bit anxious. Prior to this day, the number 33 had been popping up everywhere in my life. It was all over stairs I had been climbing at the local university fore exercise (33 rows high / 33 seats wide). I noticed it on a bunch of records for the first time (vinyls, of course). It was featured in books I was reading, shows I was watching… man, it was everywhere in my life. So the day came to interview, I got the tie on and all that good stuff, and then went to Google Maps to find the best route there. Then I went down the number rabbit hole, yet again (I kid you not): the company was exactly 33 miles away and the best route to take was Highway 33.
I had some other odd synchronicities on the way up (I drove by my grandparents old home and was thinking about them…and the Bee Gees Staying Alive came over the radio as I drove by…a song I used to make them laugh at when I was young when I sang it to them), and I was feeling great. Long story short, the interview was amazing. The company paid well, the benefits were amazing, the profit sharing fantastic; there were trails on campus to hike throughout the day for break times, free organic produce and dairy for snacks, and some crazy good coffee that was roasted just for the company. I was in heaven, and was high on life and the opportunity as I drove back to my town. Finally, a decent company that seemed to treat their employees well supported small regional farmers and producers…a win win for me and my family’s future.
Then not one week later COVID hit Wisconsin. Everything locked down, and all HR departments in the state, for the most part, put a cease on hiring. I was dragged along for a week, then two, then a month, then another month, and then by the time I talked to the company again in mid July, it turned out they had filled the role with another candidate. Which of course leads into one of the worst days I have had to experience of late (but hey, I’m trying to be positive here in 2021, so I’m skipping that!).
I’m always on the fence about mystical/synchronicity stuff, but I’m not going to lie, I thought the Universe was gently guiding me to a fantastic change in my professional career. And then just like that – poof! – it was ripped out from under me.
But hey, I’ll never forget that feeling that day, and that feeling too is a gentle guide for me to keep looking for other opportunities. It’ll happen, but I’ll just be patient (and avoid good ol' 33 and the Bee Gees going forward).
Hey mate, thanks for coming by.
I was reading and getting excited...I mean that job opportunity sounded great, so many things to like about it and I was like, yep, this is going to kick some serious ass, until...Fkn covid-19. I don't know how you felt, getting played for a few months only to find out they filled the role elsewhere but I can imagine. And right in the middle of all the other covid-related pressures. I'm sorry it worked out that way.
33...A seemingly innocent number but in truth a devil-spawned bastard-number best avoided...And the Bee Gees? Well, need I say anything? Ok, I will...Bloody high-pitched-singing-job-wreckers! Them and their ah, ah, ah, ah stayin' alive bullshit.
You know there was three of them right? I mean could the universe spell it out any more clearly? Look...
3+3+3=9
9x3=27
27+3+3+3= 36
but two are dead leaving one
36-6+3=33
See the pattern here? Bee Gees are devil-spawn for sure.
I'm sure my logic is quite sound. Numbers don't lie.
!ENGAGE 25
Ahahhahahaha. I am BigTom 33 in a couple of places, and not just because of a typo setting up my name. You see, this all started 60 years ago when I had to pick my first baseball uni number. There were only two single digit numbers left when it was my turn. Numbers 7 and 3. I dammed sure didn't want to be compared to Mickey Mantle so chose #3. I also wanted to be a first baseman (position #3 when scoring baseball) so I wore #3 right up to College where it wasn't available. I took 1 3. One three. Not 13 :)
It's gotten to be a part of me, #13 but I occasionally honor my roots and use just 3 or 33. BTW, #3 was Babe Ruth's number.
Most would say, 13 is an unlucky number but clearly it hasn't been for you.
I know those two names of course, who doesn't? But tell me, what did Mickey Mantle do that would make you not want to be likened to him. Did he pitch the last ball and it got hit for a home run and lost the game or something?
Mickey Mantle was the best player in the game at the time. He really was that 'one in a generation' guy. Every kid on earth wanted to be like Mickey. Well, almost every one :)
That's what I thought, that he was a good player, and that's why I asked because I would have thought any kid would wanted to wear his number.
I had played enough Little League that I knew there were dickheads watching that would say shit like "Cumon Mantle, show us what you can do" when you came up to bat. Or "Nice hands Mantle" when you kicked a grounder. I honestly didn't realize I was getting Ruth's number. And nobody was going to confuse my scrawny ass with Babe Ruth :)
Haha, yeah I hadn't thought of the heckling; Good call and great foresight for a young lad. Non need to give anyone any more heckle-ammunition, heckleunition, than they already had.
ENGAGEtokens.ha right? i have so many good memories of singing "sting ala sting ala" to my grandparents. I thought it was a done deal.
Interesting about 33...you have some thoughts about the number too? I explained the situation to a friend at work who is into these things, and he mentioned 33 as a number to be avoided too. I guess I have been open to whatever the universe spins, and keep an open mind, but you think it's a number not pursuing? Curious if you too have experience with the number. Crazy man, thanks for getting back to me.