Ten

Today I learned about Humpty Dumpty. Yes, Humpty freakin' Dumpty. Back off. This stemmed from obsessive, repeated listening to Counting Crows' "Einstein on the Beach (For an Eggman)" on my way to and from work over the past couple of weeks. Eventually I was just like, what the hell is the deal with Humty Dumpty anyway? Where did that rhyme come from? How come people always draw him as an egg, when the rhyme does not say anything about him being an egg at all? I would just think that Humpty Dumpty was a dude if it had not been implanted in my brain that he is in fact an egg with arms and legs and wearing a little suit.

Well there are good answers to all of these questions. Basically, Humpty Dumpty was originally a riddle, and the title character was indeed an egg. Humpty Dumpty was also a slang term referring to a short and clumsy person. (What about a tall clumsy person? A hastey Chasey, perhaps? Eh, I tried.) For more info I will refer you to the Wikipedia entry and to one of my other favorite time-wasters, The Straight Dope.

For the record, this is my favorite Thing I've Learned to date. It is just so random yet interesting at the same time. Thanks, Humpty.