So near and yet so far.

Blogger’s overview page says this blog has 995 posts, but the page that lists all of the individual posts says there are 994 posts. One of those numbers is true, I suppose, but I don’t know which one, and I am not going to count all the posts personally to find out. I do know, however, that both of them can’t be true.

If one of you would like to undertake that task and report back to me no later than Tuesday, you will not have to take the final examination.

That thingy over there on the right says this blog has 97 followers. At one point the number had reached 98, but it slipped back to 96, and now says 97. At least one of the followers is shown twice, though, so maybe 96 is the correct number. Maybe even 95.

Not quite 1000 posts. Not quite 100 followers.

So near and yet so far.

I am reminded of the opening lyrics of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s song “Is A Puzzlement” from the musical The King and I:

When I was a boy
World was better spot
What was so was so
What was not was not
Now I am a man
World have changed a lot
Some things nearly so
Others nearly not

Does it matter whether I have 96 or 97 followers?

No.

Does it matter whether I ever reach 1000 posts?

No.

Does it matter that President Obama insisted in his interview with George Stephanopoulous that the individual mandate portion of his healthcare legislation was not a tax and now Chief Justice John Roberts, writing the majority decision in the case U.S. Department of Health and Human Services v. Florida, says the mandate is a tax?

Yes.

It matters a great deal.

So near and yet so far.

Just like November.