The Small World Project at Columbia University is testing the "six degress of separation" theory about how connected we all really are, by asking people to try to reach a stranger by contacting someone they know who is closer to the "target". Occasionally it really works, but the vast majority of chains die from lack of interest along the way. So i suppose the fundamental question isn't "are we connected?", but "do we care?"
10:41:06 PM #    comment []  trackback []

1. One of our kids lost his "new" car Saturday night when somebody ran through a stop sign and broadsided him. Nobody was hurt, thankfully, but he's understandably depressed: this was the first car that he himself had picked out, and he'd only had it for two weeks (hadn't even gotten in-state registration yet). He didn't even see the other driver coming as he went around the turn.
2. I learned yesterday that my Aunt Leslie passed away last week. She lived far enough away that i didn't know her well, though my mom was close to her. When she was a young woman, she danced with the famous Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. Her husband, my father's brother, died a number of years ago, and so she lived alone in Phoenix: she used to send us grapefruit.
3. I've been spending a lot of time at a customer site for a large integration project, and a colleague from another office, Mike Steele, has been part of the effort. One time when we were coordinating a visit, he mentioned in an off-hand way that he couldn't come that day because of a doctor's appointment: "I've been sick" was all he said. I didn't inquire further, not wanting to pry, but noticed last week he looked a little pale. But I was shocked tonight to read in a project-related email that he had passed away this morning. "It was good to see him remain active through his last days" was the opinion of the email writer, though i can't see how anything in this project would tilt the scales against a dying man's life.

Three timely reminders that, all appearances to the contrary, our lives are incredibly fragile. Today, we seem to have all the time in the world, not realizing that tomorrow comes and suddenly ... there is no time left. "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)

9:50:30 PM #    comment []  trackback []