Oh, how hilarious. It has a name!
When I was in college, I notice a particular path light always turned off when I walked by it. At first I wrote it off as coincidence, but it began to get a little freaky. Finally I asked my college roommate to accompany me. Sure enough, every time we walked by together, it turned off. When she walked by alone, it didn't. We kept walking by the thing, expressing nervous giggles.
Well, we finally ended up watching in the snow from a distance and learned that it turned off and on by itself (with no one walking by at all. Clearly my "interference powers" were in fact just a fluke of timing. Leslie continued to joke about my "powers"--especially once when we were out rowing with the team before the sun had risen and all the street lights in Cass Park went off when we rowed by. I shared the joke with Mark when I met him, and it has become a mild lip twitcher if we travel and lights happen to turn off around us.
It never occurred to me that this was a common enough form of "magical thinking" to have an actual name ("Street Light Interference Syndrome, or SLI"). I do know people who are more likely to have static issues that other folks (that one person who ALWAYS is getting shocked by everything they touch). This is generally assumed to be due to their choice of clothing, their way of walking (dragging feet, etc.), or what they are commonly exposed to during the day.
Who knows? Mine, I'm certain, is just coincidence. But it's a fun coincidence.
5 comments:
I was watching tv tonight and saw a show on SLI syndrome and a woman who supposedly had it. I bolted upright in my chair because I do the same thing! I never thought it was an actual phenomenon with a real name. It happens around me mostly when I am stressed and usually only with street lights. Every other light can be on and the one I'm next to goes out, very strange. Used to think it was only coincidence but it happens too often with too many different lights. Mentioned it one time to someone and they looked at me like I was a lunatic!
I eat fried pig pussies when the lights go out.vishor
It was certainly interesting for me to read this post. Thank author for it. I like such themes and anything connected to this matter. I definitely want to read more soon.
Alex
Phone blocker
I think I am a SLIder. Many lamp bulbs exploded and I can't use a computer for a long time, the connection's realIy bad on the computer, have already broken two mobile broadbands. Everyone in my family except me can use the computer. :(
Wow!! I'm glad to know what this is called. I also confuse and shut down street lights, watches, electrical equipment and such. I noticed the TV changing chanels by itself the other day during an especially stressful moment. I was on the other side of the room and the stupid TV changed chanels twice!! I found that a little clear nail polish works for a while on the back of watches. I am a Christian and I know that all things work together for those love the Lord. This may be a weirdo happening or a gift. I don't know. I try to keep quiet about it because only the people who are with you and see it happen believe you. I glad to know I'm not strange all by myself
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