winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge

Number Nerd & Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #794

February 13, 2026 / 24 Comments
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
& Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #793
& Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #793
& Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #793
& Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #793

I have been a nerd about numbers for my entire life. When I was a child, I obsessively counted things and seemed to attach different emotions to various numbers. For example, even numbers cause me anxiety while odd numbers make me feel calmer. I have never figured out the reason but here I am in my 50s still being a great big number nerd. I also still obsessively count things.

The counting began early and came in handy when I was a competitive swimmer. I counted every stroke for every lap that I swam. The counting not only made the workouts more interesting but I also couldn’t see that well without my glasses so the counting helped me to know where I was in the pool. It likely prevented some head on collisions with the wall over the years.

I don’t swim laps anymore so I have transitioned my compulsive counting to other activities. For instance, my driveway is approximately 90 shovel widths long, it takes me about 120 steps to walk from my front porch to my garage, and the braid in my hair currently has 33 plaits.

winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge

Sometime in early childhood, I also developed an obsessive-compulsion around the number 6. I was afraid of it for some reason. It got to the point in my 20s where this weird fear was really inhibiting my lifestyle. For example, if I was reading a book and something interrupted me when I was on a page that ended in 6, I would get so stressed out and anxious that something bad was going to happen to me that I had to compulsively bless myself 9 times.

I chose 9 blessings because I don’t do anything in singles, even numbers freak me out, and 3 just wasn’t enough blessings for the protection I thought I needed. If I doubled the 3, I was back at 6, so that wouldn’t work either. But when I cube 3, I get 9, and that number does not offend my strange OCD. To this day, I still don’t like closing a book on a page that ends in 6, but after some therapy to treat the issue I can do it without fear or the compulsive blessing of myself. Weird, right?

winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge

Yet another strange number fascination of mine is prime numbers. They are my favorite numbers, except the number 2, which is the only even prime number. All other prime numbers are odd so they appeal to me, including the ones that begin with 6. I am not sure why but I suspect it is because the prime numbers are unique within the pool of all odd numbers and I have always been drawn to odd and unique things. Odd prime numbers that are only divisible by 1 and themselves are totally my number nerd jam.

In case you were wondering, the prime numbers up to 100 are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97 and I like them all (except 2).

Recently, I stumbled upon the number 119 and automatically assumed it, too, was a prime number. It looks like it should be, but it is not. It is actually a semi-prime composite number which means that it only has 4 factors, 1, 7, 17, and 119. Interestingly, the number 119 is also the sum of five consecutive prime numbers (17 + 19 + 23 + 29 + 31). This discovery has now bumped semi-prime composite numbers to second place on my favorite numbers list. While most composite numbers are even, odd composites such as 9, 15, 21, and 25 do exist and I like them all as well.

winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge

Another weird but fun number obsession is my wedding anniversary. My first marriage occurred on March 21, 1998. The date was chosen because it was the first day of spring. It began as a beautiful sunny morning that transitioned into light spring showers by early afternoon which eventually gave way to a terrible snow and ice storm in the evening. It had never occurred to me that the date we chose was a literal countdown…3-2-1-and-done. The marriage ended in divorce during the third year.

When Jeff and I decided to get married in 2010, we chose January 23 as our wedding date. My father died on January 22, 1995, and I was so tired of feeling sad for the entire duration of January every year, so I wanted to get married the next day to inject some joy into January. At that time, I didn’t realize that the date we chose was a literal count up to infinity…1-2-3-to-infinity. And here we are still blissfully and joyfully married 16 years later.

It has not escaped me that this anniversary was our 16th which is a number that I do not like. But now we are in year 17, a prime number, so I’m good!

winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge
winter boho style, gray leggings, gray fair aisle coatigan, brown work boots, pink tee, slouchy hat, winter style, tie dye, print mix, Shelbee on the Edge

Speaking of wedding anniversaries, this is the outfit I wore this year for our annual anniversary breakfast and errands date.

I had been wanting to style my new pink mushroom scarf that I received for Christmas so I built my outfit around that one accessory. I paired my gray leggings with a pink tee shirt then layered on a gray and black tie dye duster beneath a new gray and pink fair aisle coatigan. My new work boots have been great for the snowy weather so I have been wearing them pretty frequently this winter. To coordinate with my brown boots and the bit of tan in the cardigan pattern, I wore my grandmother’s tan slouchy knit hat. I accessorized with gray and white necklaces and earrings and gray fingerless mitts to complete my very cozy A-Day outfit. I liked this outfit combination so much that I have worn it a bunch of times in the last few weeks. Just trying to stay warm and cozy until spring arrives!

Below are the beautiful anniversary roses from Jeff and the amazing seafood boil that he made for our anniversary dinner that night.

anniversary roses, Shelbee on the Edge
anniversary roses, Shelbee on the Edge
anniversary seafood boil, Shelbee on the Edge

Now I am curious, are you also a number nerd? Do you have weird obsessions or compulsions? Please do share in the comments so I’m not hanging out here on the limb of weirdness all by myself!

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Still on the edge,

Shelbee

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

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24 Comments

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      February 13, 2026 at 8:26 am Reply

      Thanks, Gail! Oh my goodness, dyscalculia sounds pretty awful to a number nerd like me. It must have really been a struggle for you in grade school. And then waking in the night trying to remember dates sounds very maddening! I hope my post didn’t cause you any anxiety. Yikes. If it did, I apologize.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

      • Gail Is This Mutton

        February 13, 2026 at 8:31 am Reply

        Gosh no, I laugh off my numerical difficulties these days! I might write a post about dyscalculia some time. It wasn’t a thing when I was young and fortunately I was good at English so it didn’t bother me too much.

        • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

          February 13, 2026 at 8:41 am Reply

          Oh good! I am very happy to learn that you laugh about it. A sense of humor is the very best way to deal with any and all difficulties, in my experience! I was always good at math but loved English so much more. Despite my love for English and all things related to word-smithery, I have terrible reading comprehension. But somehow we get ourselves through it all!

          xoxo
          Shelbee

  • Melynda

    February 13, 2026 at 9:05 am Reply

    Prime numbers have been a reoccuring thought since elementary school six decades ago! Along with counting out nines as way to check math WITHOUT a calculator. But ot be honest I forgot the formulas for anything but addition…it looks like a lovely celebration!

  • barbara

    February 13, 2026 at 2:02 pm Reply

    hey! fabulous post!
    oh aren’t we all number nerds in a way? have u ever heard of ‘The solitude of Prime Numbers’? I forget if it’s related, but i just always loved the title. Lemme know if you find it
    ever since i had a bit of a massive trauma on my hair it doesn’t grow back to 33 knots! Maybe one day it will tho, here’s hoping…:)
    looking fwd to see more in your series about thrifting and art, take care & have a great weekend

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      February 14, 2026 at 6:42 am Reply

      Thanks so much, Barbara! There are numbers all around us in everything we do, so I think we should all be number nerds in some way! I had never heard of “The Solitude of Prime Numbers” so I looked it up. It appears to be a novel that uses twin prime numbers as a metaphor. Here is the AI synopsis of the book…”The Solitude of Prime Numbers (2008) is a critically acclaimed debut novel by Italian physicist Paolo Giordano that explores the lives of Mattia and Alice, two damaged, lonely individuals who find solace in each other. Using the metaphor of ‘twin primes’—numbers close together but separated by an even number—the story follows their, often separated, lives from childhood to adulthood.” It sounds really interesting so thank you for sharing it with me! I hope you have a lovely weekend, my friend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Di

    February 13, 2026 at 3:53 pm Reply

    I love the soft pinks and greys in your outfit-so calming. And the lovely anniversary roses match your outfit! I am not a numbers nerd, but definately have a fastination. I have read several books about numerology, and find myself applying the principles all the time, for fun. Thanks for hosting the link up, and sharing your thoughts. Hope you have a great weekend!

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      February 14, 2026 at 6:38 am Reply

      Thanks so much, Di! I really liked how well this color palette works for winter. I don’t know much about numerology at all but now I’m thinking I should look into it. It might be right up my alley! I hope you have a lovely weekend, my friend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Marsha Banks

    February 13, 2026 at 8:17 pm Reply

    Shelbee, while I don’t have any fears of specific numbers, all my digital things have to be set to even numbers (sorry about that)! If I try to ignore it, I get a twitch…I just have to change it to an even number. I loved teaching prime numbers. They’re just so different and fun. Fourth graders, for the most part, didn’t think so, but I did! I do add up numbers of birthdays though I don’t take it any farther than that. All of my kids were born on odd days; my bonus kids were born on even days; and my grands were born on odd days. I was born on an even day, and Mike was born on an odd day. We got married on an odd day, too. I think about those kinds of things a lot!

    I love this cozy wintry outfit. I just love fair isle anything! Love that you know how many plaits are in your braid, too!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      February 14, 2026 at 6:36 am Reply

      Marsha, thanks so much! I know that twitch well…if my digital devices are set on even numbers, I get the twitch and have to change them to odd ones! You and I could never be roommates. LOL I actually never thought about birthdates. But now you got me thinking. Jeff and I were born on even days and both boys were born on odd days. But if you add the month and date numbers together, we get the opposite effect. Jeff and I are now odd numbers (my number is 35 and Jeff’s is 31) and the boys are evens (Archie’s is 6 and Ralph’s is 24). Hmmm. I wonder if there is any meaning to these numbers in numerology. I have never really got into numerology but maybe I should! I also love all things fair aisle. What is it about these prints that is so endearing?

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Nancy

    February 14, 2026 at 2:19 am Reply

    Well the best numbers are of course the 1,2,3 of your marriage with Jeff!. Funny that your first one was the opposite numbers. That makes you think about the meaning of numbers. But I don’t think about numbers at all. Or not that I notice anyway.

  • Emma Peach

    February 18, 2026 at 7:25 am Reply

    That’s so fascinating…I’ve always preferred even numbers over odd for some things and odd for others – it’s in no way logical but was formed in my teenage years (I’m blaming anxiety around multiple things). My favourite number is 4 (followed by 8) and 44 has always been one of my lottery numbers. I also grew up in a house with the number 88. Now I live at 43, which low level bugs me every time I think about it! I’ve read Lewis Hamilton favours the number 4, and his racing number is 44. My previous address was number 8 – we bought it from a Chinese couple who chose the house when the estate was being built because 8 is considered lucky in Chinese culture. We also got married in 2010 – it should have been on April 23rd but was postponed due to a volcano erupting! We finally got married on May 20th and I always struggle to remember it! My first wedding was on June 3rd – 3/6…maybe you’re onto something!

    Emma xxx
    https://www.style-splash.com/

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      February 18, 2026 at 8:12 am Reply

      Oh my gosh, Emma, you also are a number nerd! I love it! Although I don’t like even numbers, I do like when 4s appear in succession. My father’s birthdate was 4-4-40 so any combination of 4s like that appeals to me because it reminds me of him. When I see 4s appearing like that out in the world, I tend to buy a lottery ticket as well in honor of my father and his favorite extracurricular activity, gambling! I had to laugh that you have low level anxiety about your house number. I do, too! My house number ends in 6 and it drives me freaking crazy! Making it worse, it is 126 so that is almost like three sixes. Ugh.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

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