Thu, May 25, 2006
Excelsior... this is getting creepy—8:38 PM
As I understand it, the whole concept of synchronicity is related to perception. That is, things are happening all the time that might seem to be remarkably coincidental, but if you don't notice it then it doesn't feel like a big deal. Synchronicity refers to when you do notice it and it feels like the world is falling in on itself.
Today, after years of dormancy, the word "Excelsior" hit me three separate times from three absolutely different directions.
My new book, The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop., features a fantasy baseball team named the Excelsiors. I read this on the plane from Jacksonville to Chicago.
Waiting to board my flight in Chicago, a girl is talking on her cell phone when I must lean across her to throw away a McDonald's Coke (yes, at 10 in the morning – don't judge me!). The snippet of her conversation that I overhear: "We stayed at the ... uh ... The Excelsior."
Checked into my room and surfing through the day's RSS feeds, a post from 37signals: Fly on the Wall: "Excelsior!".
Wow.
Tangent 1: "Synchronicity" would've been a way better title for Cusack-Beckinsale-starrer Serendipity, but only if the plot of the movie would also have changed accordingly.
Tangent 2: I live in the glassiest of glass houses when it comes to the sin of reliving one's own best material and then pausing expectantly, head cocked, for the adulation to roll in. At best, it's usually a "had to be there" moment – at worst you just sound like a self-absorbed jackass. ("I'm not funny right this minute, but allow me to regale you with tales of past brilliance!")
However, even I am a little put off by 37s's latest blog meme, "Fly on the Wall" – in which they recount hilarious moments from their own internal chat room discussions. I understand that their blog (Signal vs. Noise) has come under scrutiny for being too meandering at times, and I do think adding regular features like "Fly on the Wall," "Screens Around Town," and "The Filter" are a nice way to make it sort of episodic and keep people coming back for the features they like. (This is something I routinely fail to do with the Survivor stuff.)
But "Fly on the Wall" seems insular and self-focused to an extreme. We get it! You're clever! But this isn't helping. Reading "Fly on the Wall" entries, I finally understand the weary eye rolls I get from my family when I tell them all about some hilarious thing I said to Arksie two years ago.
AC — Fri, 5/26/06 1:29pm
This reminds me of an occurrence when I was watching Jeopardy! last night while waiting for dinner. There was a category called "All about 'MEA'" or somesuch, and like everyone else, I started indexing all the words with "MEA" in them that I knew. The first one that popped into my head was "Mead," and I remember thinking that'd be a great clue for that category. But it wasn't.
HOWEVER–
A few minutes later, I caught a clue in another category, and the answer was "mead."
Blew me away.
Bee Boy — Sat, 5/27/06 12:46am
So you're saying it's contagious!!
Brandon — Sat, 5/27/06 1:10pm
My new book, The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop., features a fantasy baseball team named the Excelsiors. I read this on the plane from Jacksonville to Chicago.
Are you reading that based upon a recommendation from me? You must be. If not, then talk about your coincidences...
Bee Boy — Sat, 5/27/06 1:53pm
Ha ha, no coincidence there. It is based upon your mention, and already I'm loving it – and finding many insights into your personality. :)