The other day I noticed something startling. 5 binary digits can represent the numbers 0-31, there are a maximum of 31 days in a month, my friend is a silversmith, and I have five fingers (per hand).

Hmmm....

How convienent!

My idea is that you could have a set of five rings. A ringed (is that a word?) finger is a 1, an unringed finger is a 0.

So on the 22nd I'd have a ring on my pinky, middle and index fingers.

Every night before I go to bed, I just cycle/add/remove rings, and voila, I have a calendar on my hand!

The rings would be placed your left-hand, and your thumb would represent the least significant digit (no pun intended), so the wearer is reading the digits in order.
-- beretboy, Feb 14 2004

Which would be the most significant digit?
-- half, Feb 14 2004


Ouch! Don't remind me [half], I have a PLC training course next week and they ask silly things like that!
BTW I HATE thumb rings but then I will only have to wear one every other day.
-- gnomethang, Feb 14 2004


Use a grey coding to add/remove a ring from only 1 finger per day.

When someone asks you the date, tap your fingers on the table, one finger after the other "Tap thud Tap Tap thud". Or just shake their hand.

Store an important upcoming anniversary with nail polish.
-- benjamin, Feb 15 2004


I got "caught up" on Wednesday gets an altogether different meaning
-- gamb, Feb 15 2004


How do you know which way to read them?
-- silverstormer, Feb 15 2004


Sounds fun! There would have to be a standard way to read it.
-- Tranai, Feb 15 2004


I like the nail polish comment [benjamin] much more than the original idea!
-- moomintroll, Nov 08 2004


Innovatively-deployed geekery. We likes. [+]
-- DocBrown, Nov 09 2004


Hmm, intriguing concept but doesn't seem very practical as you'd have to remember the reading system and remember to put them on or take them off every night. Plus most digital watches have the time and date stored on them, sometimes even memory for phone numbers...
-- komopeixi, Nov 11 2004


Yeah, but digital watches don't give left-handed action heroes the opportunity to narrow their eyes at a scoundrel and say:
"You should not have messed with me...on the 30th!"
before introducing the said scoundrel to the business end of the calendar.
-- DocBrown, Nov 12 2004


You could have five rings each with two visual states, perhaps a small lcd window that is either dark or light. Each ring is specific to a finger (and bit) and work in concert to display the date.
-- bristolz, Nov 12 2004


Loved the comment by Doc Brown, on Nov 12. Left handed action heroines can inform the said scoundrel that she just happened to have PMS that day.

PMS = Punish Men Severly
-- Earthborne, Aug 19 2005


Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross, To see a fine lady upon a white horse; Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, And she shall have music wherever she goes.

And she shall have a calendar wherever she goes.
-- popbottle, May 30 2013



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