S.E.M.A. is kinda like S.E.T.I.

Without getting into the gritty details, my relationship life has been in a state of flux for the last few weeks. One of my main relationships has restructured itself into a much further orbit than I would really like. But there it is. Relationships take more than one person and I respect her needs.

So, now I am involved in a S.E.M.A. project -- the Search for Extra-Marital Affection. And what's a SEMA for? (semaphore = "a system of visual signaling by two flags held one in each hand") Well, it's kind of like S.E.T.I. -- the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. The principals are remarkably similar.

You begin broadcasting (your availability) and just hope like heck that you encounter a civilization (person) who is at an appropriate technological level (or receptiveness) to receive your transmission. To a certain degree, all potential connections have the same main problem that S.E.T.I. runs into -- the Christmas Tree Theory. That theory states that all the potential civilizations in the universe have their own development lifespan over the billions of years of existence. Like the blinking lights on a Christmas tree you will have one civilization flare into being, but then fade out. Right next to them, another will flare up and then fade according to its own timeline. Two civilizations may be in parallel development, but it's more likely that they are thousands of light years apart. With S.E.T.I. you also add in transmission time and now you see just how dismal the odds are that we'll actually connect with interstellar brethren -- should they exist.

Well... thankfully, I know that S.E.M.A. has much more promising odds. But the main comparison point between S.E.M.A. and S.E.T.I. is that people are constantly in different stages of development. They will either be open and closed depending on their personal development or their current commitments. Chemistry is one thing, but timing is another. I'm just reminding myself (and everyone else) that it's a good thing to get to know people and see what happens. The friendship you make today, could turn into something else 5 years, 10 years or 20 years from now.

Or maybe tomorrow. You never know.