Synesthesia

Are you a synesthete?  I am.  Mine is number form and/or time space synesthesia.

It was only very recently that I learned the whole of human experience does not "see" numbers, dates, time, history. Nor do they apply a three-dimensional model to all of these things. I do.  I always have. I always will and I think it's pretty cool. I was reading an article (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2010/04/02/the-rare-humans-who-see-time-have-amazing-memories/) when I came across this topic and to be quite honest it shocked me. Does this mean something is wrong with the way my brain is wired or does it mean I can contribute to things in a way very few others can.

I admit, I know nothing about synesthesia and am now on a quest to learn more. Not because I feel odd or special for being a synesthete but because I would love to know how the Hell people can do math, know what day it is, or recall history and events if they cannot see it in a three dimensional space with applicable color and heat. Seriously, if you can't fold numbers upon themselves to get a result or know the color to determine addition or subtraction/multiplication or division how do you come to an answer?  How do you know what the day is or where it lies in the week and how on earth can you recall history if you can't slide down a path to the exact date of the event?

The coolest part is I can draw all of this out for anyone that asks.  I just need enough room and enough colors.

I want to hear everyone's comments. How do you do math?  How do you know what day it is?  How do you when the heck "Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue" or when Cleopatra reigned supreme if you can't actually see it?