Rush Hour on the Information Highway

by Skip Cohen

As I've explained so many times in the past, I rarely know what I want to write about when I sit down at the computer on Sunday mornings. I've stayed true to my original vision for Sunday Morning Reflections, which was simply to go free-style (keeping with an Olympic theme) without focusing on my weekday topics of business and marketing.

Every morning, I start with my email, and today the message on the right came up first thing. The subject line was, "Happy Anniversary," and the words "Cheers to another year" were what hooked me, as I struggled to remember what milestone deserved celebrating.

I burst out laughing when I got to the rest of the text. First, it was a reminder that 14 years ago yesterday, I used OpenTable for the first time. From there, I had to rack my brain for what the event was. Thanks to Sheila, I got through the mystery.

It was during WPPI and Sheila, and I had dinner with Rob Nowell, then from Sprout Studio. They had a booth at the convention, and the Steak House at Circus Circus, at least back then, was one of the best-kept secrets in Vegas.

But it's not Throwback Thursday, and my point this morning, mixed with a little sarcasm, is about the information highway we're all stuck on. Seriously, I love looking back and taking a walk down Memory Lane, but celebrating my first time using OpenTable doesn't make my time-to-celebrate list of ANYTHING!

I've never received anything from OpenTable, except for dozens of restaurant reservations over the years, and only for that particular reservation. But here's my fear... if OpenTable, along with hundreds of other online companies I've used over the years, is about to contact me every time there's an anniversary, I'm in serious trouble. I'm about to be caught in a pile-up on the information highway.

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There's my first Amazon order, first movie from OnDemand, first airline reservation, car rental, Marriott reservation, first Skype and FaceTime calls, and the list goes on and on. Then there's a milestone with the first telemarketing call and F-bomb as I hung up, first bogus bill from the Geek Squad or an extended warranty on a car, usually one I no longer own...again, life is filled with classic moments that are meant to be simply forgotten. They're not meant to take up space anywhere, whether it's a hard drive or your brain! I've spent time stuck in traffic in NYC and Los Angeles and it was never fun!

I'm all for looking back on milestone moments, especially when they relate to great friendships. I love thinking back to when I first met some of my best friends. I remember great dinners and so many moments of gut-wrenching laughter with good friends and family. All of those moments are well worth my time to look back on with gratitude and appreciation... that's the stuff that deserves to jam up the information highway!

Wishing everybody a day ahead that is filled with moments worth remembering years from now. And as you give somebody special one of those eleven-second hugs I always write about, take the time to think back on the milestone moments you both share. It's those common denominators we all have with the people we care about that are worth a traffic jam - NOT whose phone service you used to call them the first time!

Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the planet.

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