AT WEEK’S END: Two dates to remember

This week held two significant dates — 9/11 and 09/09 — each evoking emotions at the opposite end of the scale.

The horrors of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, still linger in memory — as they should. Otherwise, it is too easy to forget the current geopolitical reality: We may have officially ceased, according to White House terminology, a “war on terror” but terror has not necessarily ceased its war on us.

However, Sept. 9, 2009, had a completely different vibe. It was considered lucky by people who are entranced by such confluence of numbers.

Wedding officials in Las Vegas experienced one of their busier days as couples took advantage of the date.

Similarly, 08/08 was a hot date last year, and so was 07/07 the year before that.

But not all the activity is motivated by some sense of romance or Vegas luck. Wedding planners say such dates are often chosen simply because they’re easy to remember.

“The easiest day for my poor memory to remember was 9-9-09, and we’ve been doing everything last minute ever since,” said Jessica Skrutvold. “It was easy, and both of us can remember it and never forget.”

She called to book her Vegas wedding chapel last March — an eternity ago by Sin City standards — and found that the only slots remaining were 8:30 or 9 p.m.

“We took the most obvious choice,” she said.

Wedding officials say couples often think they are the only ones to notice the neatness of a 09/09/09 or 08/08/08.

Something to think about for 10/10/10.