Happy Connections

Tonight, I was cruising around town in my car. I love my car. It's blue and it frequently has cakes in the back. So, I was cruising around town in my beloved car and I was reflecting on how lucky I am.

I went to the doctor tonight which is a pretty great thing. How many people have a doctor who they like and who actually takes all kinds of time to listen to them? I do! I actually have a few of them. And how many people can get an appointment with their doctor after work? My doctor takes appointments at night! I went at 6:30. Cool, right?

And so, I have strep throat. No big deal. But the good doctor sent my prescription to my pharmacy right from the exam room which is pretty commonplace these days, but still pretty darn cool if you think about it.

Off I went to the pharmacy... hey, did you know Target Pharmacy closes at 7? Not at 8 like we thought. Huh. But, thanks to the marvels of modern technology, I called the doctor's office at night o'clock and they transferred my prescription over to the CVS. I am so freakin' lucky that this whole thing was even an option. Now I'm home with antibiotics, new toothbrushes, and some ExtraCare Bucks.

On the way to the CVS, I was percolating on how lucky I am to be sick in modern day in a developed country. And then... Benny and the Jets came on the radio.

This led to an avalanche of happy connections.

Because you know who really loves some Elton John? My niece.

And who else does said niece love? Walter.

Walter reminds me of Jay who reminds me of coffee... good coffee. 

Do you see how much happiness is in that chain?

It's like today... I was talking to a student about how viruses spread. And I said they can go from person to person... "like the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game."

And the kid looked at me blankly so, as an educator, I explained how the Kevin Bacon game works. Then, I demonstrated with Brad Pitt.

"Brad Pitt was in Interview With the Vampire with Tom Cruise who was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon. See how they're connected?"

And then, as God as my witness, that child looked at me and said, "Who's Kevin Bacon?"

And that's how I decided that a Kevin Bacon movie marathon would be a good way to spend a day in my classroom. I thought it'd work best on the day that the Advanced Ed people come for the school's inspection. Because then the state inspectors would see that we're dedicated to teaching what matters. But then I decided that you can't have a Kevin Bacon movie marathon without Footloose, and the overarching theme of Footloose might not be the message I want conveyed to my particular brand of student. And then I got all tickled at myself and today turned out to be pretty good after all.