I Have Won the Leaf Lottery

I picked January 10, and Leaf Commissioner Richard Anderson announced yesterday that the last leaf had fallen. Here are the names of the other contestants and their misbegotten picks:

That last leaf has fallen and Michael is this season's champion.

> Total jackpot -- $13.
>
> Leaf Person Last Leaf Date
> Richard Anderson 12/19/2009
> Paula Lawrence 12/29/2009
> Gayle Feyrer 1/1/2010
> Tashery Shannon 1/2/2010
> Michael Robertson 1/10/2010
> Kay Anderson 1/14/2010
> Doris Anderson 1/15/2010
> Linwood Johnson 1/23/2010
> Jennifer Brown 1/28/2010
> Patrick Daugherty 1/29/2010
> Anna Damski 2/4/2010
> Reah Carrick 2/10/2010
> Kim Beeman 2/14/2010

As you can see, it was a close thing. I credit my victory to the ten-base system -- the final two digits of the year drove the selection of the specific date. This, you might conclude, is something less than an exercise in ratiocination, perhaps falling somewhat short of Holmesian deduction, even the Robert Downey Jr. version. But if the goddess chooses to bless me, I will let her open the door and walk through, for once the coquette rather than the cavalier.

I will plow this year's pot of $13 back into the pot for next year. If The Leaf Lottery is going to continue to expand -- already it has contestants in London and Dubai -- there must be a financial incentive. It's just my giving back to the sport.

Here's a video that gives some sense of the greatness that is the leaf lottery.