twist of fait accomplis

Wanna hear a really bizarre coincidence?

Back in 1991 and 1992 I published two online magazines, PC Review Online (a general-interest computer magazine) and Stanza (a poetry magazine). Both were primarily distributed via GEnie but were also uploaded to national BBSes like ExecPC.

There are three issues of Stanza still archived on the web. For a hoot, I grabbed them today and was looking through them. As I looked through the October 1992 issue (I was 16 at the time I published it) and it was an issue focused on teen poets. I noticed that Paul was featured in it (which makes sense since GEnie was how we initially met) and Elly was in an earlier issue.

But what blew my mind was when I came to a poem by "Robert F. Craven."

I now work with Rob.

I was a high school junior and Rob had just entered college. Apparently, I came across his poetry on one of the GEnie RoundTables and had asked him for permission to reprint his poetry. He lived in Massachussettes and I was in NJ. And now we both work at the same company with less than 75 employees in Northern Virginia. Absolutely absurd.

I talked to Rob about it and he remembered me writing to him for permission as well as the magazine itself, but he never made the connection, either.

Friggin weird, man.

Here's the issue if you want to peek. 05:29 PM

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