Such a small world!!

Have you ever noticed that it is such a small world? Some way, somehow, someone knows you through someone else. Like that six degrees of separation theory. Ya know? Today (and on other occasions) I have found that I connected with people in a lot less than six degrees of separation. Here are some cool examples:

Everyone in my career has to attend several courses at the same university in order to get the certifications required. From my very first course I realized that it was very likely that I would know someone in any of my next courses considering our career field is relatively small within DoD. Each time I attend a new course I look around the room for someone I recognize. 3 out of the 4 times I have attended an in-resident course I have known someone (the first class I didn't because I was VERY new to the career field). Today I started a new 2-week course and I didn't recognize anyone at first. As I was sitting at my table waiting for more students to show up (and for class to begin) I began talking to the guy next to me. I told him I was expecting to know someone and was looking around for that. He said he didn't know anyone but knew that some way, somehow he would meet someone in the class who knows someone he knows. *whew, that was a mouthful* Just after he said that he asked me what offices (state, agency) I had worked for. I mentioned I had been in Colorado Springs and he said he was deployed with someone from there. It turns out that he worked with a young lady I had also worked with and someone I am still in contact with through Facebook! I couldn't believe he had JUST said somehow he would meet someone who knew someone and sure enough that someone was sitting right beside him! Very strange. Such a small world!!!

It also turns out that two of the ladies in the class were at an office I was at in Florida. One of them was my supervisor and the other was a close co-worker. In addition to that, one of our old co-workers from that office now works in the office I now work in at my new office. Again, such a small world!

Another cool instance of the six degrees of separation (which by chance only need two degrees in this instance) was the first day I moved into the new neighborhood here in Alabama. When the moving truck arrived I asked the men to find the kids' bikes so they could have something to do while the truck was being unloaded. The kids took off on their bikes and just less than 3o minutes later they come pedaling bike with two other kids following them. It turns out that these kids had also just recently moved from Colorado Springs! Too cool!!! It gets even cooler! Their mother came by later to introduce herself and we got to chatting about Colorado Springs and the school the kids went to. It turns out that she was a teacher at the school the boys had gone to! Even cooler...she knows the boys' step-mom because she was also a "teacher" at the school! WOW!! Here is where it gets creepy...the next day I reported to work and was being introduced to several people in the office. Some guy (not on my team) happened to walk by and my co-worker decided to go ahead and introduce me to him. It turns out that when I heard his last name I asked if he happened to have two kids (I said their names) and if he lived in River Landing....he did!!! OMG! Such a small world!!! I work with the dad, who's wife worked with my kids' step mother in Colorado Springs where we all lived a few months before that. Too crazy!!!

Have any of you encountered situations where you have been in awe at the size of this small world? I know I have had many other situations but these two are recent and a little creepy how they came about. I would love to hear your stories! Post as a comment or your own blog...just let me know where so I can read it. :-)