I’m Thinking of a Number Between One and One-Hundred
November 26th, 2006
I’m thinking of a number between 1 and 100.
It could be 4. But then again, who picks 4 if they announce they’re thinking of a number between 1 and 100? That’s insanity. 4 is like at the very beginning, it’s nowhere near “between” a number like 1 and a number like 100. But 50 is too much in the middle and one of the first numbers people guess after guessing 1 and 100.
Like I’d pick 50 if I was thinking of a number between 1 and 100.
I would definitely not pick any number between 1 and 10 since all the amateur number pickers always start with that or picking a number between 1 and 5. And I’d for sure not pick an even number since even numbers are always the numbers that people go for on their first guesses. Numbers with 2’s and 4’s and 6’s and 8’s and 0’s. People will always go for those kind of numbers right out of the gate.
But I also wouldn’t pick the typical odd numbers either.
Numbers like 11 and 33 and 55 and 77 and 99. Picking a number like that if you were thinking of a number between 1 and 100 is like going into a store where someone’s told you that you can have any one item in the entire store for free and instead you go up to the cash register and simply say that you’d like to have cash as your item instead.
In a nutshell, obvious and unfair.
I’m also a huge proponent about not picking numbers with three or more syllables. Like 17 and 21 and 67 and 87. When you’re chosen as the guy thinking of a number between 1 and 100 you don’t have time to start thinking of all those syllables. You keep it to two syllables, that’s for sure. That’s the only way to ensure a successful picking of a number that the guesser won’t guess. Because, while it’s bad for you to pick a number with lots of syllables, the guesser always goes there first.
Guessers like rhythm and syllables, it’s been proven.
As the guy thinking of a number between 1 and 100, you also gotta steer clear of the risque and superstitious numbers. You stay away from the unlucky 7’s, the scary 13’s, the evil 66’s and the risque 69’s. Guessers know you’ll never pick those numbers anyway since they’re obvious, mainstream numbers that most amateur-thinker/pickers go for when they’re pressed for time.
Well, not me. That’s not how I roll.
In the end, the big question remains. If I’m thinking of a number between 1 and 100 and you take every rule I’ve stated into consideration, there’s only two choices at your fingertips. And one, it seems, I would never pick since it’s so obvious it’s not even funny.
Not. Even. Funny.
Not even kinda funny?
I just read an article in the NY Times about a guy who’s the national rock, paper, scissors champ. I couldn’t stop reading that article like I couldn’t stop reading your post.
The Seinfeld post. About what? Nothing. Funny? Yes.
Comment by Dawn — November 26, 2006 @ 6:58 pm
Nineteen. Na-na-na-na. Nineteen.
Comment by susan — November 26, 2006 @ 7:02 pm
Dawn - Thanks, Dawn. But does that mean you’re not taking a guess at the number I was thinking of?
Comment by Pauly D — November 26, 2006 @ 7:03 pm
Oh, Paul, I wasn’t guessing, I just like nineteen. Unless, I’m right and there is a good prize (and I don’t mean some of your hair or somesuch).
Comment by susan — November 26, 2006 @ 7:53 pm
Thirty-nine?
Comment by Alison — November 26, 2006 @ 9:05 pm
Wait, you said more than three syllables, but then you included seventeen, so that must mean it’s got two syllables. Nineteen? (I’m copying Susan because I love that song). (And I can’t think of anything else because it’s past my bedtime).
Comment by Alison — November 26, 2006 @ 9:07 pm
ELEVEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN!!
Oh wait… that’s bigger than 100 isn’t it? Hmmm… I guess I’m stumped then. This is a really hard game…
Comment by Dave2 — November 26, 2006 @ 9:47 pm
Alison - Finally, another Paul Hardcastle fan!
Comment by Pauly D — November 26, 2006 @ 9:51 pm
Paul, 15 and 19 seem to be the only two that qualify. But alas, you’ve lost me on why you so obviously wouldn’t pick one of these.
Comment by Jeff — November 27, 2006 @ 7:22 am
I’m going with 15 because I’m thinking you don’t like the song Hey Nineteen or Steely Dan. Also, you indicated you would never pick it because it was so obvious.
Comment by Jody — November 27, 2006 @ 12:08 pm
ok, so I was thinking of 87, and the fact that it was in your post BEFORE I read means bonus points for me.
Comment by Kathleen — November 28, 2006 @ 7:53 pm
quite hard.
but then that’s gotta be 15.
hehe..
have a nice day! *hugs*
cheers,
aiRah
Comment by aiRah — November 29, 2006 @ 5:33 am
Often times, at the restaurant, if we have too many people staffed and they want to send someone home, they’ll pick a number between 1 and 100, and the closest person gets to go home.
I almost always pick 33 or 77, and one day, 3 people picked 77 and then number WAS 77.
Crazy, huh?
Comment by Dylan — November 29, 2006 @ 9:34 am