Synchronicity Strikes

[Steve Bildermann]

[AssKissinger]

Thanks for bringing up an interesting subject Steve.

I believe that coincidences are very important and have meaning. Once on Oprah she had a show on the meaning of life (ok you can stop laughing now, I don't give a shit). And all the philosophers she had on there said the same thing: That coincidences are your clues to finding what you should be doing in life. So if there's a coincidence be sure to act on it.

One time I went to the bookstore to buy a copy of Darwin's 'The Descent of Man' and there was only one copy left. This chick and I reached for it right at the same time, so our hands touched at the same time they touched the book. She told me I could have it. I thanked her and smiled and bought the book. This was in Seattle which is a pretty big city. Later that night I saw her again in a different neighborhood and we got to talking. It turned out she worked at the same place that I had applied for a job and I had an interview there the next day. I also, had just received an offer to teach in Korea. We talked about it and she had already lived overseas and told me if I thought I could handle it I should go for it. I took her advice and it led to me having a lot of amazing experiences.

In my life, it's real common for little coincidences to happen. For example, I'll listen to record and at the exact moment it ends the phone will ring. I think things like that are signs that your life is on the right track.

There's a book that must be pretty dated by now but I still think it's worth reading. It's a pop science book about the human brain called 'The Three Pound Universe'. I read it a long time ago but I remember that there's some stuff about synchronicity in there and one neurologist (jokingly?) said he believes there is a extraterristrial force called ECCO (pronounced like echo) which stand for The Earth Coincidence Control Organization. Maybe they're out there giving us signs.

Finally, one more coincidence story. When I was living in Portland I went through a dreadfully long dry spell. Finally, I got laid twice. Two different girls in one week. That was miracle enough believe me but there was more. Both girls had the same initials, same birthday and relatives coming to visit the week after we hooked up. I figured it meant I was destined to have two girlfriends but it didn't turn out that way.

[Taro Toporific]

[vince]

One night a house up the road caught fire. There was a huge crowd of onlookers - the entire neighborhood had dropped everything and rushed over to stand and stare while the house burned to the ground.

Every kind of dress and half-undress - tattoos revealed - people who had jumped out of the bath - come as you are - thousands of people!

And in the crowd, I recognized a couple of gaijin I hadn't seen for years - didn't even know they were in Japan.

Fire department never arrived - lost in the maze somewhere, I guess.

[Taro Toporific]

Fire department never arrived - lost in the maze somewhere, I guess.

Tokyo shitamachi fire trucks are toy sized to fit the tangled lanes. Still in my old Sugamo neighborhood, the fire dept. had push-cart fire engines since many lanes are only foot paths.



MicroRobo fire truck




Toy truck



Mole robot, crawl into underground.


Fire motorcycle


My true love, Lady Oshichi, Sugamo arsonist

[AssKissinger]

Taro, those are some fantastic images. Good work!