SHI, not shy

What does the acronym SHI mean? Why, it stands for Single, Happy, & Interested, of course – and now, whether you’re straight or gay, this symbol can help you meet potential dates. A friend sent me this article about these “relationship status” pins (http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/how-to-spot-a-gay-single-and-hot-date-using-a-shi-symbol), which you can wear on your clothing in hopes that another single will spot it. And maybe ask you out. They used to be available only in Australia (those Aussies are so cutting-edge), but you can now buy them in the U.S.: check out http://www.shisymbol.com/
They have pins, pendants, shirts, bracelets, earrings, even cuff links. The jewelry costs more than your average costume jewelry at Claire’s, and the cheapest shirt I saw was $35, not including shipping. For just a little bit more than that, you could get a month on Match.com!

I’d feel a little weird “advertising” my relationship status in a symbol on my chest, but I doubt most people know what it means anyway – so wearing it probably won’t help much. But if nothing else, it’s a conversation starter, which could help you meet someone in your regular day-to-day life, NOT online. Wow -- what a concept!

Wrong numbers that are really right

Last year I read about this guy who woke up one day with a random phone number in his head – the phone number of a stranger who would eventually become his wife (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-447429/I-dreamt-phone-number-bride-be.html). According to the article, "I Dreamt Up A Phone Number and Found My Bride-To-Be" by Beth Hale, one day Michelle Kitson’s phone number just popped into David Brown’s mind as he woke up and kept running through his head all day long, until David finally texted her. They started talking, then they met in person, and the next thing you know, they were getting married. Judging from the comments that readers posted to the story, similar strange phone number incidents are not as rare as you would think. One person commented that one day, a friend mis-dialed his girlfriend’s number, ended up talking to the wrong number for a while, and decided to meet her for coffee. He ended up breaking up with his original girlfriend, and he and the ‘wrong number’ are still together 30 years later!

It reminds me of a story my mom once told me about a wrong number who called her when she was living in New York City as a newlywed. Even after the guy realized he had the wrong number, he chatted with my mom for a couple minutes, and finally he said, “If you don’t mind my saying so, you have such a great voice. I know this sounds strange, but I’d love to meet you in person.” But my mom politely explained that she had just gotten married, and that was that. I wonder where that man is today? According to my mom, he had a pretty nice voice himself – though not as nice as my dad’s, of course. :)