They say everyone is interconnected by a small number of “steps,” and it’s a little daunting to really think about this. I know. I spent the latter part of an hour at the gym last night pondering the subject. 

First, let me back up: Wikipedia says: Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that, if a person is one “step” away from each person he or she knows and two “steps” away from each person who is known by one of the people he or she knows, then everyone is no more than six “steps” away from each person on Earth … Also interesting, the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” was invented in 1994 by two students at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, as a play on the concept: the goal is to link any actor to Kevin Bacon through no more than six connections, where two actors are connected if they have appeared in a movie together. 

Looking at just a few of my “steps,” I could start off with the celebrity route. I once had a two-hour conversation with Jeff Cohen, who played Chunk in the movie “The Goonies.” He is linked to the Coreys (Haim and Feldman) who I’d almost guarantee are connected to the entire 80s brat pack. I sighted David Spade at the Palms Hotel Playboy Club last fall in Las Vegas; he reportedly attended Brad’s (pre-Jolie) and Jen’s wedding. Saw DJ AM at Pepper … he dated Nicole Richie. A grad school colleague knew John Mayer – before his hit albums, before Jessica – when he lived and attended school in London. Another friend of mine went to college with Anne Hathaway, who starred in the Oscar-winning “Brokeback Mountain” among other things. 

Heading the more substantial route, I was fortunate to be a student of the late former Sen. Paul Simon, the former press secretary to Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar and a former Chicago Tribune editor. Each of them has met some of the most famous people in our country’s political and historical realms. 

I got off the treadmill thinking these connections make for great pop culture references, great stories to tell my grandkids one day and great reads on a blog on a rainy day. 

Like most people, the connections I value most are the relationships that I have with my family, friends and coworkers. I am truly blessed. Those personal connections are truly unique and truly my own – one of a kind. How lucky are we to have these! 

Now, if only I could figure out how many degrees I am away from Kevin Bacon …

Your turn: Who’s within six degrees of you?