What is Five Plus Eight?

No matter how hard I try, the answer to this question plagues me.

You see, I know it is 13. Now. Wait, right? Let me just double-check on Excel... OK, good. As I was saying 5 +8 = 13 is a simple question, and one that I find I have difficulty answering. And despite the fact that I think of myself as quite smart (NYU MBA thank you very much), I have plenty of these "thinking speed bumps." Like how to spell restaurant? Is 12 noon AM or PM? Which way locks my door? What is the capital of New York?

And that's just the tip of the iceberg, because while I am pondering the small stuff like "Can I make a right on red here?" I find myself with questions about even more random things. Ridiculous questions (Rambo III's title?), small observational questions (slots in supermarkets?), questions I feel oddly strong about (towel technology progress?), my personal deep questions(XM Radio as a metaphor for Life?), pop culture and consumerism questions (Alanis's definition of irony?), and more.

Five Plus Eight... is my attempt to address these questions head on rather than let them float out in the ether. Generally I hope to amuse myself, those I know, and perhaps even those I do not. If we can create a dialogue surrounding some of the biggest mysteries in life (seriously, what is up with the lack of any progress in towel technology?), well all the better...

Oh, and the capital of New York is Albany (thank you Google).