3

When I first learned how to write essays, I was instructed in using the five paragraph essay. The common analogy was that the introduction and the conclusion were the buns, with 3 meaty and juicy paragraphs of evidence in support of your thesis. For some reason, two paragraphs of evidence were just too weak, four paragraphs made it too long, but three was what perfectly satisfied the reader.

Haikus were cool too.
They made for quick assignments.
An easy homework.

Trilogies are something special, specifically the ones that are planned out. Trilogies that lack planning, such as the Spider-man movies or the Matrix trilogy, remind me of beating a dead, yet formerly award-winning, multi-million dollar making, horse. Yet the engaging planned trilogy, like Lord of the Rings, Toy Story, or the Dark Knight series, the first one always sets up why you should care, the second puts you in a position where you doubt that the hero will ever win, and the final film is this epic build up of the now underdog hero who triumphs over seemingly impossible situations.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the 3rd book in the Harry Potter series, was my favorite book growing up, and it still is, because as Harry's world started to get more serious as mine did. Dark things in the Potter world began to emerge, such as dementors, Peter's shocking betrayel, and the ominous threat of a returning Dark Lord. Yet the book did not leave you in darkness as it also gave you the wonders of the Patronous, the strength of happy memories, and showed that, in the midst of darkness, there can be unexpected joys.

Speaking of childhood interests, Pokemon was my 3rd serious obsession, preceded by Thomas the Tank Enginge and Power Rangers. At the beginning of each Pokemon game, you had the choice to start with a Fire, Water, or Grass type Pokemon, and then your manipulative scandrel rival would always choose the Pokemon that yours was weak against. It was very frustrating, like playing Rock Paper Scissors with the other person always choosing 3 seconds after you.

Games seem to have an obsession with the number 3 (3 strikes your out, after the 3rd down you usually punt). It's a weird rule because it seems to imply that if it takes you more than 3 tries to do something well, you're never going to get it right. I wish the Batman movies before the Dark Knight trilogy figured that out.

3 has always had a weird prevelance in my life. I was born in the 3rd month to be the 3rd member of my family (as the first born, you're technically the 3rd person in the family) as one of 3 brothers (also, I was born on the 3rd planet from the sun in the 3rd dimension). Sure, this could just be me manipulating numbers, but I like to think that numbers can mean unique things.

Yet, in my experience, 3 has always made for interesting situations. With a group of two people, either no one is excluded or everyone is, but with a group of 3 people you always have the chance of only one being excluded and being different. With 3, their could always be an odd one out (a middle child, if you will) unless you learn how to deal with it; it takes a discipline that is absent with only two.

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, but what does that say about the 3rd time? I suppose if you're fooled a third time, you're the king of fools. But maybe, if you get it right, the 3rd time is the charm.