Romantic destinations and simulated lives

My latest obsession is a podcast called Strange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan. She covers a lot of strange and mysterious, sometimes true, sometimes not-so-true stories.

One podcast episode she discussed a simulation theory that she found on Reddit. She points out that to truly give any credence to this theory she would have preferred to have found a scientifically reviewed article, but the only discussion on simulation theory that could be found was on Reddit.

The podcast poses the question are we truly living our own lives or are we someone’s avatar in a simulation game?

Sure, the question is absurd, but, hey, there are people who believe that the moon landing was a hoax, that the world is flat, so it is not that hard to believe that some people think they are in a simulation game and their lives are just part of said game that they have truly no control over.

Besides thinking where do people come up with these types of theories, my next thought was whoever got my life as a simulation game is probably thinking this is the most boring game ever. I mean it is a wonder they have been playing it for 55 years. Or maybe they are like me when I play a game. There are times when I will play several days in a row but then may go for a while without logging in at all.

Is that why there are days when work is busy and lots of things going on, the person in the future is playing the game, then days like Saturday when I wanted just a movie day is the day the person rarely logs on?

Curious what the person was doing in the game when last Wednesday seemed to be a comedy of errors from the time I woke up until nearly bedtime. Perhaps it is one of those “challenges” I get in my favorite game “Klondike.”

So, while it is fun to talk about, we all know that the simulation theory is not real, or is it?

The second thing that made me go hmm last week was a release from verticalcherry.com I received with the headline, “Worland (WY) Voted as the 169th Favorite ‘Alternative’ Romantic Destination in America.” I get at least one of these surveys and rankings each week. Different organizations conduct surveys on a variety of things and Worland has been ranked before, several times as one of the safest cities, but Worland as a romantic destination? Maybe that’s a niche the city could capitalize on.

I love living in Worland. I have been here eight years and it feels like home. I think Worland has a lot to offer, but to be honest I have never considered Worland as a romantic destination.

Of course, the poll put Worland at 169th of alternative romantic destinations …. Of 175 alternative destinations … so it was not exactly at the top of the list but it was in Wyoming’s top five per the survey.

According to the press release, “As the summer season approaches, HoneymoonAlways.com commissioned a poll involving 3,000 couples to ascertain which alternative romantic destinations they are most eager to visit this year, with some interesting results.”

The top destination was St. Augustine, Florida.

Per the release, Wyoming had 5 ‘alternative’ destinations among the most romantic in America:

Jackson Hole emerged in 43rd position. The other four were toward the bottom of the list with Sheridan at 165th, 167th position was Thermopolis and Worland was voted as the 169th favorite ‘alternative’ romantic destination. Torrington came in 174th place.

Per the release Worland was described as follows: The peaceful and tranquil atmosphere provides the perfect backdrop for couples seeking privacy and relaxation. Whether it’s taking a leisurely stroll along the scenic walking trails, enjoying a romantic picnic by one of the nearby lakes, or simply gazing at the starry night sky, Worland offers couples the opportunity to connect with nature and each other in a serene setting. The town itself exudes small-town charm, with its friendly locals, cozy cafes, and boutique shops. Couples can also explore the nearby Hot Springs State Park, where they can indulge in soothing mineral hot springs and rejuvenating spa treatments.

From the release and the website we do not know where they got the list of alternative destinations for the couples to vote, we do not know where they got the description of Worland, we do not know how many cities the 3,000 couples had to vote on initially (was it just 175 or was that the cutoff), we do not how many couples voted for Worland for the 169th rank.

We do know that while some descriptions, like peaceful and tranquil, starry night sky fit Worland, some are lacking.

Where are the scenic walking trails? We do have a nice bike/walking path, but scenic? How about the nearby lakes? Is that Worland airport/golf pond? Or are they talking about a drive up the scenic US 16 highway, past Ten Sleep and into the Bighorn National Forest and the lakes there.

But there are a lot of cities out there in the United States and Worland can be proud to have made the list of 175 alternative romantic destinations.

Maybe Worland has truly found its niche as a romantic destination.

Or maybe the whole thing is just part of a simulation game.