Nolite conformari huic saeculo

Can one be more "out of it" than I? Less au courant? It may be possible. Both entries in the competition occured this morning and it looks like they're running neck and neck.

The first is my own. In reading this morning's paper I chanced upon two short articles right next to each other. (Not, be in known, in the "Entertainment" section.) One had to do with Tom Cruise the other with Tom Hanks. And, behold, the light shone: Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks are not the same person. They are two separate individuals. I had up until this morning not fully realized this. Now, it's possible that there is someone out there who sees fewer new movies than I do, reads less about them, and knows less about film stars. But, seriously. Is it likely? Even the tiniest smidgen of additional interest in current films and surely the presence of two separate last names would have registered. This may be lack of interest on an Homeric scale.

The second entry is from a relative of ours who, since he/she is unaware that he/she is in this competition and may, in fact, not want the publicity attendant upon winnning, shall remain nameless. My wife brought me an e-mail this morning from this person and read me the question: "Have you ever heard of a company called "E-bay"? A serious question and serious competition for the Head-in-the-Clouds trophy. I mean to say. How can you not have heard about Ebay even if you actively didn't want to know about on line auctions? This person has e-mail. Surely he or she gets the spam?

This is just too close for me to call. I may have to wait for further pop cultural lacunae to develop. Watch this space.