Skyrim, Minecraft, and Nerd New Year: The allure of 11-11-11

Oh, humans, how we do like patterns in numbers. There’s even a word for it–apophenia, the hunt for meaning in meaningless data. Including today, there are only two days left in our lifetimes you’ll have to survive your Facebook friends marvelling at the wonder that is noting the time of 02:02:02 on 02-02-02 or 07:07:07 on 07-07-07. What a thrill we have with this year’s 11:11:11 on 11-11-11. It’s particularly nice with its pleasing series of all 1s–plus those first nine years required the hassle of putting a 0 in front of the month and day, which most of us seldom do.

The numbers have also spurred celebration of Nerd New Year. Or in the words of organizer Adam Rifkin, “Once in a century, the calendar strikes 11/11/11 — and IT IS ON.” On times six, but benefiting–what else? Eleven charities.

Plenty of people are celebrating the non-event, and companies are cashing in on the nice, repetitive date.

• 11-11-11, how clever, and an assortment of other movies
• The official Minecraft release
• The release of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• Droid RAZR ships at 11:11 a.m.
• $11 ski lift tickets if you happen to be near Big Bear
• $11 off at the Grand Canyon
• A lot of weddings are happening–Disney is hosting eleven
• A rise in Korean C-section requests (and other places, I suspect)
• Release of Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook
• Release of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 DVD
• Black Sabbath reunites?

KFC and its 11 herbs and spices chose to announce their discovery of an unpublished “food autobiography” yesterday, while noting that it was “on the eve of 11-11-11.” What? That pressing news couldn’t have waited another 24 hours?

It’s also Corduroy Appreciation Day, as the date resembles the wales in the fabric. Now you know what to wear while you *cough* call in sick to play Skyrim. You’ll need it if we end up repeating the 65-degree temperature change of the last 11-11-11.