Today is 08-08-17. Nine years ago it was 08-08-08. Just arithmetic, no trickery.
It is an auspicious series of numbers (8 is lucky in Chinese. E.g. Cathay Pacific from HKG to LHR is Flight No. 888) that marked the opening of the Beijing State-Sponsored, Systematic Cheating And Deception Exercises, um… I meant the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. My bad.
Consistent with zero-sum game theory, the day was auspicious for some, not for others. Our little Boxer-girl, Bette had to be put to sleep the same day.
I was in Rhinebeck, enjoying fusion Chinese at China Rose, whose proprietor is my dear, dear friend/adopted great-grandfather, A. Wheldon Hamm (whose name is more interesting than the menu, btw…). Doris had to do the deed in California. Very sad. Still remember it clearly, despite the fourth (+/-) Sake Margarita in hand. Funny what triggers these memories. Often olfactory, but for me numerical series like bust/waist/hip etc etc are particularly vivid.