topless

today, i cut my house's fiber optic umbilical cord and opted to be connected soley through the personal number assigned to me and my blackberry. (and while i was at it, i cut off the cable tv. but that's another story, for another time.)

i don't mind though. i never used that phone and my cell is physically attached to me at all times. and logistics aside, i am a big fan of people connecting to people and not places or addresses... it feels more personal to me.

a number of years ago on a saturday night at blakes, i was talking to a friend in the telecom business. telecom was insane then and all of my friends worked in the industry it seemed. he was telling me that in asia, and many other parts of the world, phone numbers are associated with people, rather than places. the us was behind, he said, but eventually we'd get to that point. and of course, he was right.

i guess maybe i was slow to get on the no-home-phone bus, but i'm way ahead of the curve when it comes to personal connection elsewhere. in fact, i've got a world peace hypothesis. i think that if everyone drove a convertible version of their vehicle and had the top down on every weather-permitting day, most places (seattle excluded) would see a happier, friendlier community.

that bastard-red-car-who-cut-me-off would become that woman-who's-in-a-hurry-to-get-home-to-her-dog-who-just-got-spayed-before-she-has-to-meet-her-mom-for-dinner-who's-going-to-freak-out-over-her-tattoo-if-she-doesn't-find-the-right-thing-to-wear-that-covers-it, etc, etc. everybody has a story after all.

it's not something i just made up in my over-active imagination either. i drive a convertible and i consider it my cross to bear that the top is down when the temperature is above 60 and there's no precipitation. even if it's 102, i just suck it up, turn on the a/c, and sweat.

having the top down is widely seen as an invitation for interaction. i've had people next to me in traffic comment on my music, my clothes, my conversation. (and of course my driving) and these are people in hard roofed vehicles - other people in convertibles may as well be in my car with me, they speak so freely.

'how are you doing today? have a long commute?'
'yeah, another hour or so. how 'bout you?'
'just another couple exits for me.'
pull forward 20 yards
'what's the weather forecast for the weekend? you heard yet?'
'oh i think it's going to be in the 70's, mostly sunny tomorrow and saturday. but sunday - it's going to SNOW!'
'no shit?!'

and forget about road rage.. drivers are so much nicer when they see the person behind the wheel, freckles, cowlicks and all. it adds humanity to the automobile experience. imagine spending your commute, in bumper to bumper traffic, without a roof. we could share tunes, jokes, fashion, directions, shopping tips, recipes, advice, phone numbers (!!), and plan carpools.

we'd laugh together, coo over babies, commiserate about our jobs, empathize, help one another... and connect.

person to person. eye to eye. cell phone to cell phone.

d: more convertibles on my commute
b: i connect with people on a daily basis. (i won't say strangers because nobody really is, after all.)
g: my house is disconnected and i am completely connected.