2019-12-17 What a Coincidence that you're ready this (2)

I'm not famous, but there are some times that I get recognized. Today was one of those days.

* The taxi driver this morning looked at me in the rear-view mirror several times, then shortly before dropping me off, he asked me if I had been on TV. It turns out that he saw both the TVN special and On My Way to Meet You. What's the likelihood that I would get in the taxi of a Korean taxi driver who had seen me on TV, twice? Not likely, but it happened today! Last month and the month before, I also had taxi drivers recognize me. So either it means I am world-famous among Korean taxi drivers and/or they are spending a lot of time watching TV. One of the drivers had a TV in his taxi, so the chances were pretty good in his case.

***

I had two hours of interviews with graduate students, then rushed to the subway for a meeting with a TNKR donor. I had agreed to meet at the wrong subway exit, resulting in me walking a long distance. As I was messaging, I noticed someone walking along with me. HEY! Chanyang Ju! Yes, the lovely lady behind the 꽃미남 KC article and video was again teasing her favorite Yankee Bastard.

It must have been an incredible coincidence? Well, not if you have read Alain de Botton. In his book Essays on Love, he had a fantastic chapter challenging the idea of a coincidence.

Bouncing off his idea, Chanyang and I have known each other since early 2012. In those many years, this may be the first time for us to bump into each other like this. We saw each other at a TNKR forum on 11/30 she spoke at and I moderated. And right before that, we spoke on 11/26 at the KAIST College of Business. Subscribe to her YouTube channel!

If we had messaged in the last few days, we might have found out that we would be in the same area today. And it is possible that we have both been coming to the same location for weeks, but passing each other like two ships in the night.

If I had been more aware of the closest subway exit, I might not have bumped into Chanyang. The extra walk may have been the reason we met. As de Botton wrote in his book, the coincidence might not just be the time you met, but the many times that destiny kept you from meeting.

***

I mentioned the de Botton book to Chanyang. That then led to a conversation about de Botton's fantastic book about media. She had read a chapter in that book for one of her university classes. I read his book on media, twice, and used it as part of a Korea Times column.

Chanyang's major is media, I was a reporter in college, worked as a media specialist in DC and have been interviewed many times and arranged many interviews for others. So we had a lot to talk about that was unrelated to NK refugees.

So then we were in the coffee shop--and it turned out one of the young ladies there knows who I am. She thinks I am famous and seemed to be in awe that I had somehow landed at her coffee shop. How could I explain that I was meeting a TNKR donor at the wrong exit so I walked 100 meters out of the way so I bumped into Chanyang who then took me to the coffee shop.

Coincidence?

***

Today was the last day of my classes, I have been teaching public speaking and discussion to graduate students. There were so many coincidences that it seemed we may all be related. One of the students loves NPR, she has listened to it for years, even dreamed about being a host on NPR.

Could she have imagined that her professor was a regular commentator on NPR's News and Notes a decade ago? But I also complained about NPR, especially lousy reporters who contact us, use TNKR for their stories, then don't mention us at all.

***

I have occasionally bumped into some of my previous students at conferences. I asked the students to stay in touch with me. It won't be such a coincidence if I bump into them in the future.

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Chanyang Ju's YouTube channel

Rich talking back

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