Running Numbers

A scholarly look at the digits that matter.

by Nick Norlen

1 Number of chances you have left to play Dance Dance Revolution — which, incidentally, is the same number of times I've tried it — at Queen Memorial Library, 1201 S. 23rd St. The last DDR session of the summer kicks off at 3 p.m. Aug. 25. After that it's back to Dostoevsky and Kafka.

2 Number of days before the aforementioned DDR session that you can hone your footwork by attending Gaian Mind, "Philadelphia's Premier Psy-Trance Party," Aug. 23 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Zot, 122 Lombard St., for $5. The event is 21-plus, but youngsters who flash their library cards might get lucky.

6 Number of hours you can pretend you're a pirate during Fort Mifflin's Pirate Day, Aug. 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fort Mifflin and Hog Island roads. The revelry includes a kids' scavenger hunt for buried treasure, 16th- and 17th-century weapons demonstrations, "a ship off the port main" and "pirates by the boatload." It doesn't give you much time before the psy-trance party, but I'm guessing you'll blend in just fine in your pirate costume.

12 Number of miniaturized "Architectural Wonders of the World" — all constructed from natural materials including bark, leaves, logs, seeds and stones — that are currently on display at the Morris Arboretum's garden railway. The display, which features the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower, among others, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (until 5 p.m. on weekends) through the early fall. There's a rumor the exhibit will be demoed on the last day by actors in monster suits. Well, there's a rumor now, anyway.

15 Minimum number of industries and fields that will be represented by prospective employers at Monster.com's Philadelphia Job Fair, Aug. 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza, 4100 Presidential Blvd. Why should you go to the job fair? Because you just spent the last week playing Dance Dance, looking at model trains and pretending to be a pirate ... and decided to combine those activities into an exciting new career!

Hey ... can I get your digits? I want to hear about the numerals you need to see. Let a number-runner know at runningnumbers@gmail.com.