No matter how you look at it, today is 11-11-11.

 There is a lot of enthusiasm and significance swirling around today’s date. People are flocking to get married, and hoping to give birth to their baby today on 11-11-11. Especially, of course, aiming for 11 o’clock. 

I just think it’s cool because it’s a Palindrome Date. Sort of. 

 Somehow I missed the most recent  complete palindrome date. And darn it – It was only a few days ago on November 2!  That would be 11/02/2011… or 11/02/2011

 A palindrome is a word, or in this case, numbers, that can be read the same way backwards and forwards.

 It comes from two Greek words, palin, which means again or backward and dromos which means run or running.  

 So, a palindrome can run backward and forward.

 Obviously I love words that begin with “Pal” and as a word person – even before I was a Paladini –  I loved palindromes.

 When I was a kid we used to make them up with my dad, ranging from the simplest names of “Nan” and “Otto” to those immortal words spoken by the first man to the first woman in the Garden of Eden: “Madam I’m Adam.”

 I looked up what was supposed to be the longest palindrome in the world. It supposedly has 7,826 words.  It’s long, but it doesn’t really make any sense. 

A shorter one that makes a little more sense is this: “Soda-pop straws are sold, as part-encased a hot tin, I saw it in mad dog I met. Is dog rosy? Tie-dye booths in rocks.”  

 What’s the longest “sensible” palindrome you’ve ever heard?

 And does anyone know when the next Palindrome Date will be?