(TMS) Time Machine Syndrome

I have experienced TMS too many times in my life to be able to go on without coining it. I am sure everyone will know exactly what it is but have spent their lives wasting their breath on long winded descriptions of the sensation, the vertigo the bewilderment - so have I. Wasted breath no more, what did people say before the existence of emotionally consolidating words like 'Love', 'Nostalgia' or 'Deja Vu'?

So, as a tribute to the great H.G. Wells (why not?), I define the "Time Machine Syndrome" as the sensation that Alexander Hartdegen must have had as he travelled forward in time at a break-necking speed. Particularly the speed at which changes happened which he didn't witness, for example when he blinked or looked the other way only to look back and see the that a whole chunk of time, in his perception, seemed to have gone missing.

This goes for anyone's life without the need for a time machine. It is the sensation of looking upon an aspect, facet, or element of one's existence only to be blown away by the speed at which time has gone by. This may be seen by the unregistered changes that have taken place or by the sheer amount of time that has gone by unnoticed.

Changes in your loved ones, the amount of time since you have spoken to them, hobbies, physical places, meta-physical places, introspection, real laughter. TMS applies to everything that makes one stop and say "Hey, where did all this time go?" or "Who the Shit pressed Fast-Forward?”

Why a Syndrome? You ask. Why not just the "Time Machine Feeling" or "Chronodisplasia" (of sorts - great book by the way)? Because I believe this sensation is symptomatic of the times we are living in, where our lives are fast paced roller-coaster experiences choc-a-bloc with information and barely enough time to process it. This is all good, except for the fact that we may be so busy living that we miss the mile-stones and the scenery around us. It's all about the journey not the destination, right? In human lives as far as we know it (except if you are a spiritual-religious - although these two seem to have scarce connections - phantasmagorian) this is the case, so if we spend our time staring at the highway asphalt don't we miss all the fun?

Zen teaches, or Shows (an important semantic gap according to my Zen maven) the art of living "here and now" and really enjoying every moment before it's all gone. It's fair enough to say that it would have been easier to live that way chilling out up a mountain in China but is pretty tough in the heat of modern urban life. Zen however, could be used in everyday life by everyone if only it were more embedded in Western culture. Shame it isn't. The bottom line of Zen (or the modern non-monk-person Zen) is looking into the beauty of the seemingly mundane, and making the best out of life mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Just a quick quote (as far as I remember it) from "Two and a half men", Alan is whining about Jack's luck and ability to be happy and he says; "When he gets lemons he makes lemonade, when I get lemons I just suck them inside out". Sour.

Coming back to the point, this Syndrome is not a genetic pathology, but it is perhaps a symptom of a greater mental-physical and spiritual pandemic afflicting the peoples of this mad world. Then again, it may just be a consequence of not taking enough breaks from the fast lane to take a good picture or two.

What compelled me to coin TMS now? I think I'm generally OK in these respects, I firmly believe that acknowledging the problem makes great strides towards solving it, but life has many walks. The last post on this blog project (an initiative to voice and vent with the exclusive excuse of outright self indulgence) was a year and nine months ago. Ouch.

Really, it feels like...well, without much further a do; it feels like a bout of TMS.