120. …metapost…

(Artwork found at www.intentblog.com )

Posting 119 (Bright Idea: Magnetic Jewelry) was inspired by a video someone just sent me. That event was one part of a very synchronistic 24 hours. Click on if you are curious and willing to read a long posting about 3 recent interesting coincidences…

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SO, here is an account of three interesting idea-related coincidences that occurred in the past 24 hours. I thought it was significant enough to post it here, and not MetaBugg.

YESTERDAY: irrelevant background {My wife and drove home from Louisville, KY. It was a 10-hr drive; I listened to some of the 10-Second Internet Manager (that’s what they had at the library), while my wife watched 2 episodes of Gilmore Girls on DVD . We spent a lot of time discussing investing in one of my ideas (“Idea X”) that I have been kicking around my head for about 2 years (Idea X is the only IdeaSpark* I currently have and don’t plan to post on in Sparkbugg).}

We also got a call from our good friend, Rachel, who asked if I had watched a Youtube clip she and her husband, Jason, just sent me via email. I hadn’t, and she didn’t tell me what it was about.

We arrived home to Arlington, VA about 8 pm, greeted by 10 days worth of mail. I eventually read the Williams College Allumni magazine’s class update section to see what all my peers were up to these days. I tore out (exhibit 1a:) a page that mentioned that a guy I happened to remember, Zack Wiseman, and how he just started a company that sells “interactive magnetic jewelry.” I wanted to know what this jewelry thing looked like, but I forgot the laptop in the car and I was too lazy to get it that night. I planned to see if I could Google the product the next day.

THAT NIGHT: I kept myself up until 4 am as I found myself trying think of new parlor games. One game happens to involve (exhibit 2a:) a table-top game, where one iteration involves three players.

THE NEXT DAY: When I got home from my errands, my wife later greeted me when I got back from walking with Barkley (who looks a little like this). Right away, she tells me of an interesting coincidence that happened to her that day: earlier, she turned the tv on and immediately came across (exhibit 3a:) Oprah interviewing the authors of the book, “Made To Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die”). Later that day, she came across the latest issue of Psychology Today, and opened it up right to (exhibit 3b:) an article about the same book. My wife wondered if it was a sign related to our previous day’s discussion about pursuing Idea X.

Later that hour, I opened up an email from my friend, Dave. It was (exhibit 2b:) a link to an article about a man who invented a similar ping pong table-top game. Dave rarely sends me articles. I was nervous, initially, but it looks a little different from my idea.

I also then checked out the Youtube video friend Rachel had called me about. It was (exhibit 1b:) the video of magnetic jewelry. (This is significant because Rachel never sends me video clips or ideas).

In summary: within the past 24 hours, there was seeming synchronicity involving an innovative product (magnetic jewelry), the book Made to Stick, and my ping-pong game idea.

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