h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So, in one of KB's journals, we were discussing mnemonics (strangely enough, we were actually on topic) and the month-length poem came up, the one that goes, "Thirty days hath September..." I mentioned that I never could remember how the poem went until *after* I'd learned the lengths of the months via the knuckle method. KB had never heard of this method, so I, since 'twas Halloween, said I'd tell him about it in my NaJoPoMo, but he'd have to wait for today since I already had a topic for yesterday TC, being much nicer than I, told KB the knuckle method *she* learned. All was not lost, however, because the method she learned was different than the one I learned--hers uses 2 sets of knuckles, while mine uses one.

So, without further ado, the Month-Length Knuckle Mnemonic taught to me when I was 10:

Make a fist. It doesn't matter which hand you use, nor whether you tuck your thumb in or not. Your palm does need to be facing down, however. Use the index finger of your other hand to tap the knuckles and the dips between them. Each time you tap a knuckle, the month has 31 days--the dips, then less. So, starting with the index finger knuckle, January has 31, February doesn't (28 or 29, depending on Leap Year), March has 31, April doesn't (30--all the dips except for February's are 30), May does, June doesn't, July does--you are now at the pinkie knuckle. The pinkie knuckle must be tapped twice before heading back towards the index finger, or Halloween and New Year's Eve won't exist (granted, at 10, I was more aware of Halloween, though I *did* know that December has 31 days, since my birthday is on December 28...) Anyway, the second pinkie knuckle tap is August, which has 31, September doesn't, October does, November doesn't, and December does

When I get to the last knuckle, I just start again. I don't change direction.

My mother taught me the 30th days hath September

My mother taught me the 30th days hath September rhyme which took me a while to remember but I never managed to learn all the words of the poem. I would have found the knuckle method, much harder to learn than the rhyme.

I like the knuckle method. You just say the names of the months, pointing to the knuckles and the gaps between. Stop when you get to the month you want. If you're at a knuckle it's 31; if it's a gap it's 30. Remember February yourself.

I just knuckled down and learnt the poem long before I had ever heard of the knuckle calendar. It is fun and quirky that it exists.

<BB<

Thirty-one days hath December,
Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Aug, Oct.
The rest to thirty days are docked
Except for February
Which has twenty-nine days clear
And twenty-eight each un-leap year!

Starting over would've been much simpler to remember than the double tap

Actually my poem above is rather a bad misquote of the original by Justin Richardson.

Thirty-one nights hath December,
Plus six others we remember---
Jan, July, Aug, May, Mar, Oct.
The rest to thirty nights are docked,
Save Feb, which twenty-nine hath clear,
And twenty-eight each un-leap year.

I use the two hand knuckle method, but that is nifty to start and finish at the same place using a double tap