A favorite show of mine was Connections with James Burke hosting. He would pop around the globe to various sites where events, people and inventions collided together. These made history – leading often to per chance interactions, and change.
I stopped to think about whom I have connected with, and what their movie/tv character might be in a playful caricature of their abilities, blogging, comments, etc.
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 I'm an all day, kickin' your ass type of gal
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Cooper: A Rocky in a sports bra, a GI Jane feminist asskicker, or maybe just a talented grad student soon-to-be Batgirl. From the East Coast where the Jersey turnpike hears screams: “Hey! You gettin’ in my fuckin’ way, ya dolt!” And, of course, near those Virginia farmboys, who got a good ear to the ground, and will be rollin’ out the red carpet (and the attractive females) for Michael Phelps soon. Cooper is a bit quirky, but ultimately, very determined and resolute. |
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Susan Bernard: West Coast style, charm and wisdom. Reminds me of a quick-witted Lucille Ball or Carol Burnett. Has also a Barbara Stanwyck quality I suppose.
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 know the future
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Carol Webb: Patrick Stewart from X-men straight from the British Isles. Knowledgeable and seer of the future. Seems to have a knack for the undiscovered and unknown around us. (Sorry, I couldn’t think of female ‘ultimate knowledge’ holder. Maybe the Borg lady Stewart fought in the decade plus old Star Trek:The Next Generations flick.) |
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Susan from Shanghai Tech Writer: Morphed from U.S. citizen into world traveler. I’ll call her Lara Croft. I don’t think she’ll mind being married to Brad Pitt. Has tech skills that get her paid. Can she swing on a rope and shoot a gun too?
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 I am one bad ass video vixen...
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Gustavo Sosa (Uruguay): An extremist, but likeable, he reminds me most of The Untouchables, Goodfellas or Heat in his bad guy role I’ll have him play. A little Ray Liotta, more Joe Pesci, and Robert DeNiro on a fatalistic day.
Ya talkin' to ME? ARE you TALKIN' TO ME!!!
I am missing a comrade from Russia, a Bollywood type from India, and a close pal from the African continent. (Unless I get $6,000,000 to be signed over upon my giving my personal information to a barrister from Morocco…)
Also, Antarctica is missing too. I did meet a saucy Aussie on Myspace, but I haven’t logged into that account much in the last year or so. (I joined at the behest of two local yocals I haven’t seen in about six months…)
For myself, I see a Hackers lead: Zero Cool. For one, I have zero coolness, and I’m not a hacker of any sort. The movie was panned as thoroughly boring and predictable. But the cast wasn’t all bad: Angelina Jolie, Matthew Lillard , Lorraine Bracco, Fisher Stevens and Jonny Lee Miller as Zero Cool.
Can you Hack it?
The idea of “Hack the Planet” does appeal. What exactly is so desirable about a few dozen people ruling the fates of billions? Why shouldn’t there be more chaos, turned on by common folk, to disrupt the machinations of those Illuminati-like souls?
- Zero Cool’s New Honey?
As these connections have likely figured out, I don’t like authority or convention. I go along to get along – and don’t see myself as Zero or One of whatever is coming down the pike – but at some point, you gotta ask yourself: “What relationship is important enough that we should do our best to improve it and strengthen it at all costs?”
We are all connected in some weird way. Some like the outside measures: skin tone, gender, attire, physical appeal. Others, undoubtedly a bit of us, like insides: brains, words, thoughts, shared visuals and sounds of life.
But do we enforce said bonds? Unlikely. Through the modicum of thoughts we share, these ties are just as frivolous as the passerby on the street we acknowledge. They might make an impression, or an action occurs that requires reaction, but all and all, we move on and away from the idea of furthering connection.
As a result, in these most unsure times, we will turn back to those we hopefully know well. And share our oddest and most unique thoughts to. And maybe also create some newer connection if we are lucky – and put aside these flimsy, Hollywood-like per chance meetings.
But that is just the cycle repeating.
Alas, what keeps in the loop inevitably is indeterminate. Plenty of studies on what makes the most difference. I guess it depends on how much our need is, and whether that person satisfies that want of knowledge, conversation or feeling or more.
I guess it just depends on the Connections To Another.
