A Sign of Progress

Sitting comfortably in my Christopher Street Starbucks, peering out the large front window at the snowstorm beyond that has halted traffic almost entirely, sipping my hot mocha, I can't help but think about progress. After all, I sat in this same seat and peered out this same window three winters ago. What has changed since then, aside from the photo gallery on display on the opposite wall (now an odd collection of wild animals in their winter habitats and Amazonian waterfalls). The world has certainly changed in the last three years -- both for worse and for better -- but how have I?

My first thought is that I've got a better haircut now, but that's debatable.

I do have a better laptop, but since Apple no longer sells the iBook (and G4 is essentially a dinosaur), I'm not sure that counts for anything.

The more I think about it -- same backpack, same snow-soaked shoes, same knee-torn jeans -- the more I'm convinced that I've slipped into some sort of portal. Delta Flight #700 left present-day LAX yesterday morning and arrived at JFK circa 2007...

...but then I get an email from my 2E's. An email with the subject line, wedding stuff - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

Never thought I'd say it, but a wedding-related email has saved me, bringing me back to present day, reminding me what I wasn't three winters ago: a groom in the midst of a snowstorm. I was just a guy. A guy with a dinosaur for a laptop and a phone that didn't give me my account balance on command. And that guy-to-groom transition, according to my very handy points system, easily buys me four years of lack of progress in all other areas of life.

I love my points system.

And speaking of progress, I love how much my 2E's appreciates my time, now flagging wedding-related emails with ALL CAPS and exclamation points!!! It's Day One in New York City, and I don't have a single wedding chore on my to-do list.

Day Two is not so secure, but I'll take what I can get.