Serendipity Syndrome

I recently happened across the Second Chances page of the Boston.com personals. The concept here is that you leave a message for someone you had a chance encounter with or lost track of, in hopes that they will read the message and contact you. Good enough idea I guess, but when I started reading them I thought they were totally depressing. Entry after entry of people saying " I should have said hi", "I was too intimidated to talk to you", " I regret not asking your name".. and on and on. You can also tell how depressing they are by the time periods involved, "About a month ago", "Almost a year ago", "February 1999:", "About twenty years ago" etc.

I think everyone kind of does this. You have these little fantasy relationships that are so great, but just don't work out because of some small detail (Like not actually meeting or talking to the other person). Is it romantic to hold onto a fantasy like this in the hope that it will actually come true? My guess would be no, but the Serendipity Syndrome would say differently. Before you make any comments let me explain that I saw, Serendipity, on an airplane, so it was either watch the movie or browse through the airline gadget cataloge for a third time. In this movie John Cusack has a chance meeting with a woman that he spends a day with and then loses track of. He then proceeds to obsess over for about 10 years, until he finally gives up and meets a real woman who he eventually proposes to. Then right before the wedding the original girl shows up, so he drops everything to fall in love with her. You're supposed to think this is a great romantic triumph, but all I kept thinking was "I can't believe he's dumping this girl he's about to marry for some other girl that he hung out with for a day, 10 years ago". Even more shocking to me is that since this is an obvious chick flick women must find it romantic that "he's dumping this girl he's about to marry for some other girl that he hung out with for a day, 10 years ago". I don't pretend to understand women, but maybe the only reason this movie works is because of John Cusack. You could probably make a romantic comedy with John Cusack clubbing a baby seal and it would be a huge success.

This Serendipity Syndrome, is what the Second Chances page reminded me of. Maybe this kind of fantasy helps some people hold onto some vague romantic hope, but in the end I think it's counterproductive. I mean let's face it, you rarely get a second chance, so why build up some false relationship into more than it actually was? Let it go and get it right the next time.

Googled

My dad sent me an email today about a Google feature that I had never noticed before.

Currently, Google.com has an option available that you may not care for. If you type in your telephone number in Google's search bar and click the search button, it will give you the address of the phone number AND the option of pulling up MapQuest directions and a map to the location of the phone number!

True enough. I tried my parent's phone number and the name and address info came right up. I couldn't find my information because the only number I have is my cell phone which isn't listed. If you're a privacy alarmist this info may cause your stomach to turn, but I'd remind you that this is public information anyway. If I didn't find your address from Google I could find it somewhere else. If you really want to be annonymous Google will probably help you find where your information is being listed, so you can request that it be removed. Stop being a baby, turn your cookies on and may I welcome you to the information age.

Ode to Spring

I love the last dying gasp of winter. I put on my jacket and brush the snow off my car knowing that tomorrow or maybe the next day is bound to be nice and warm. You can't get me down with your cold air and stupid flurries Mr Winter; today I'm having lunch with a pretty girl and tonight I watch the Sox season opener! I'll be setting my clock forward this weekend and welcoming the light to my afterwork hours. There will be baseball, soccer, golf, and eating outside. Greenness and goodness will be the rule. Warmth and newness will pump fresh blood through my veins. Take that winter. You did some nice work this year. I know you'll be back, but the hour has come, your time is done.