Journal of the Traveler

From the blog "Journal of the Traveler"
Post Title: Waking from Uneasy Dreams
Date: 9/20/1999

Twelve days ago I awoke to discover that it was the first day of my Freshman year in high school. Now this probably isn't an alien concept for any of you out there; high school is something that you have either endured or will endure eventually. It is a crucial moment in a young man's life, when he is awkward and largely a pain to spend any time around. Some of us remember those times fondly, some of them would rather forget them entirely, but all of us went through it.

That, dear readers, was precisely my problem--I had gone through this, already! When I went to bed thirteen days ago, my Freshman year was more than ten years in the past. When I woke up the next day, I was living it all over again!

I'm sure that most people, in this bizarre situation, would have been horrified at the notion of having to go through high school all over again. I have to admit that that was not my first reaction. You see, I've made my fair share of mistakes over the years. Nothing catastrophic, but there are certainly no shortage of decisions I made that I'm not proud of. My first though, I must sheepishly confess, was "This is awesome! I can do it right this time!"

Then it began to dawn on me that the situation was slightly more complicated than that, to say the least. I mean, what do you do with knowledge of events ten years into the future? Do you warn people about the terrorist attacks? Do you put money into stocks you know will soar?

Before I made this little leap through time, I was less than a month away from getting married. But I didn't even meet my better half until more than eight years from now. Should I try and get in touch with her now? What if she ends up hating me because I met her in an entirely different way? What if I can't stand the teenage girl version of her? Even if I wait for (an excruciating) eight years, I won't be able to act exactly the same way that I did originally. What if I screw it up this time? This one weighs the heaviest on me, I have to admit. Maybe that's selfish.

Anyway I was (will be?) big into blogging, so it just made sense to me to put this out here. Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow at the right time in my life again. If not, I feel like I should be talking about this and making some predictions, however trivial, that I can point to later as evidence that I'm not completely nuts. I admit that the prospect of gaining fame in this manner both excites and completely terrifies me.

If you want to get in touch with me, e-mail me at ttraveler@hotmail.com. Unfortunately Gmail won't be out for another five years so I'm stuck with crappy old Hotmail.

~ ~ ~

From the blog "Journal of the Traveler"
Post Title: My First Month in the Past
Date: 10/8/1999

I just started this blog and already I'm only updating erratically. I'd make an ironic quip about that, but you wouldn't get it. Just trust me, it's the sort of joke that will make sense in three or four years. Well, if we're talking about when blogs get passé, maybe more like five years. OK, that's it for the future humor, I promise.

I've mostly just been blending in this first month. It's weird because there are some people that go on to become my closest friends, but they're not the people I know yet and I'm not they person they know. The same could be said for my family, too--my brother was just finishing his Junior year in high school, and now all of a sudden he's a little kid again. Not to mention the relationship I've built with my parents over ten years has been completely reset.

Whining aside, there is one thing I realized--school is kind of awesome, if you aren't hung up on all the stupid stuff involved with being a teenager. Well, it's awesome for a nerd like me, anyway. All I have to do is learn stuff. My parents pay all the bills and provide ample amounts of food. For years I've regretted that I didn't see the value of learning math until way late; now I have the chance to make up for that! I can do it without the pressures and responsibilities of life as an adult. With ten years of knowledge about where my interests and talents are, and how my career was going, I feel like I'm in a fantastic position to shape my own future. And that's before you consider that there are a handful of companies I know I can invest in and make a killing. No, don't ask which ones. It'd be stupid for me to tell you rather than just making money off of it myself.

On the other hand, this situation poses some ethical problems I'm not really sure there's an easy answer to. If I were to hook up with someone, would that be considered cheating on my fiancée? Even though I haven't met her yet? Also the idea of getting romantically (or just physically) involved with these high school girls kind of makes me feel like a dirty pedophile. But I'm a high school boy! At least, everyone thinks I am.

More importantly, I still haven't decided what to do about the terrorist attacks that I know are coming in a couple of years. I'm no theoretical physicist--would it tear a hole in space-time if I managed to change such a big event? I'm not sure a physicist would actually know the answer, either. Not like they've ever had to consider the practical difficulties associated with CHANGING HISTORY.

But if I'm really stuck here, I'm going to have to make some hard choices. I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't try and do something about what's coming. I'm just more than a little afraid of what will happen to me if I try--especially if I try and do not succeed.

Well on that cheerful note, I think that's all I have for now.

Oh, what the hell. Don't buy HD DVDs. Buy Blu Ray. You know, when the time comes.

~ ~ ~

From the Fanfiction.net General Forum
Post Title: Greetings from the Future!
Post Author: Great Demon King
Post Date: 10/13/1999

Hello all! I am in a bit of a predicament.

You see, I am not of this time. The person who was inciting flamewars and the like just a couple of months ago was my younger self; I am actually from more than ten years in the future. I am now in the rather embarrassing position of having to live in my fourteen-year-old skin again.

Why am I tell you this? Well, there's some big stuff coming down the line, and I'd like to stop some of it if I can. But to do that I need influence, and before I can have any influence I need attention. Unfortunately, the only potential venues that my fourteen-year-old self had where he might garner any amount of attention online are places like this, where he sports the tacky handle "Great Demon King". Oh well. No offense to you guys, of course. I love little communities like this one and my own writing definitely benefited from the times I dabbled in fanfiction, back in...well, now.

Anyway, I've started a blog, and I hope you guys will come check it out. More than that, I hope you'll spread the word. If you think I'm a nut, as I would in your shoes, then tell your friends there's a lunatic online writing entertaining crazy-person stuff. I'll be making the rounds to the forums I used to frequent to try and drudge up something of a readership.

Thanks for your time, and I apologize for anything ridiculous my teenage self may have said.

Post Title: re: Greetings from the Future!
Post Author: Kirsten
Post Date: 10/13/1999

Is this a joke, or are you actually insane?

Post Title: re: re: Greetings from the Future!
Post Author: Great Demon King
Post Date: 10/13/1999

Whichever answer gets you to tell your friends about my blog!

Post Title: re: re: re: Greetings from the Future!
Post Author: GokuSSJ30
Post Date: 10/13/1999

ok seriously what the fuck is a blog

~ ~ ~

From the New York Times
Article Title: Tale of Twin Towers' Destruction Increases Views for Popular Website
Article Date: 5/25/2000

Across America, internet users are reading a terrifying description of the day the Twin Towers were brought down.

"This was the defining event of my generation," the story begins, "by the time I arrived at class, the first plane had crashed. We thought it was just an accident, horrible, but unintended. It was only when the second plane crashed and both towers were billowing pillars of smoke that we realized this was the result of a conscious, malicious design."

It's enough to pull at the heartstrings of anyone who witnessed that terrible event. Except that no one has--there has been no attack, and the Twin Towers are still perfectly intact. According to the anonymous author of the Journal of the Traveler, a popular website, that's all going to change.

The Journal was started in the fall of last year. Its author, who writes under the pseudonym Traveler, claims to be from the not too distant future. Ten years in the future, to be precise. "When I went to bed thirteen days ago," he wrote, "my Freshman year was more than ten years in the past. When I woke up the next day, I was living it all over again!"

The website has steadily gained a following as the Traveler chronicled his adventures in high school, attempting to fit into a life he had long grown out of. Every so often he drops an obscure prediction to keep his readers' interests piqued.

Two weeks ago, however, he made a prediction that was as straightforward as it was staggering: on September 11, 2001 hijacked airplanes will crash into both of the Twin Towers as well as the Pentagon, resulting in thousands of lost lives. This would be the biggest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, and the first attack in continental America since the War of 1812.

Needless to say, if the Journal was popular before this outlandish claim, it was nothing compared to the kind of attention it's drawn since then.

According to some experts, the sheer volume of content that the world wide web makes possible is likely to lead to more and more niche entertainment sources along the lines of the Journal of the Traveler.

"It used to be that you had to make a lot of money just to be published at all," said Clay Shirky, former vice-president of New York chapter of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, "now that anyone can put up anything, you'll see a lot of stuff that wouldn't have made it past the filter, not necessarily because it wasn't good enough but because publishers weren't willing to take a chance on it. The web allows us to indulge in our quirkiest tastes; one of the most popular entertainment sites out there right now just shows pictures of various cats, for example."

Florida attorney and activist Jack Thompson has a less optimistic interpretation. "Websites likes this Traveler's Journal make sensationalist claims just to draw more traffic," Thompson said, "meanwhile they give the wrong kind of person all kinds of bad ideas. If potential terrorists hadn't thought of hijacking airplanes to attack our buildings before, you can bet they're thinking about it now."

When reached for comment, the Traveler, who continues to hide his identity, stated that "This was the most important information" he had brought from the future, and "this is not a gimmick."

~ ~ ~

Email from AlanFedorov@hotmail.com
Sent to ElaineKelley@aol.com
Subject: A Meeting of the Minds
Date: 7/3/2000

Mrs. Kelley,

We've met a few times. I'm your son Patrick's classmate, have known him for a few years now.

I understand that you're an analyst for the CIA. I need to talk to you about something urgent. I've got some information and I've got to get it into the hands of someone who can do something with it. I've been trying to tip the intelligence agencies from the outside but never had much hope that that would work.

I'm not asking you to believe me, just to hear me out. Could I stop by after school one day this week?

Thanks
Alan Fedorov

Email from ElaineKelley@aol.com
Sent to AlanFedorov@hotmail.com
Subject: re: A Meeting of the Minds
Date: 7/5/2000

Alan,

I admit I wasn't really sure what to make of your e-mail. If you're serious about this, you can come by tomorrow and we'll talk it over.

Elaine Kelley

~ ~ ~

From the blog "Journal of the Traveler"
Post Title: Time, Too Much and Too Little of it
Date: 7/16/2000

The parent of a friend was able to get me in touch with someone in the CIA who, at the very least, has listened and asked questions with only a hint of patronizing in his tone. I wish I could remember more details; the only name I remember associated with the attacks is Muhammed Atta, and I don't think that really narrows it down. Of course there's Osama Bin Laden, but they already know all about him. He's been a bad guy for a long time. I'm not sure this is going to make any difference, but I can't just sit around and wait for this to happen. It'll be blood on my hands if I don't try as hard as I can to do something about it. If I could just convince them not to let anyone on the no-fly list step on an airplane on 9/11/01, just make them nervous enough to do that, I'll have done my job. Yeah, I know--if they're on a "no fly" list, then why are they let on the plane in the first place? Trust me, shit hits the fan over that one, big time.

I've been painfully missing my better half lately. It's going to be a long eight years. I know I could see other people in the meantime, but I just don't think I could live with myself. Regardless of the fact that the people "my age" seem like children to me, I remember committing to be with only one person, even if she can't know it yet. It can't be helped. All I can do is wait and try not to wallow in self-pity too much.

In the meantime, I am using the information I've got for some more selfish ends. I got my parents to agree to buy me twenty stocks from a certain company (for which I will eventually pay them back with generous interest) but I want to get more than that, so I've been working at the local Giant, which, let me tell you, sure is intellectually stimulating. But it pays. I want to have at least one hundred stocks from this company before the end of the year. Then, in a few years (I wish I knew how many exactly) another company is going to go public and I need to have all the money I can get to invest in that one.

I just wish that the ways to take action with my information about 9/11 was as straightforward as how to take action with my information about the success of these two companies.

You guys have been doing great. I know that most of you are skeptics, but those of you that have been calling in tips to the CIA, either because you believe it or because you just want to play it safe, every little bit helps. Like I said, we just need to convince them to take their own no-fly list more seriously, we don't need them to catch the perpetrators ahead of time necessarily. Thank you guys for your efforts.

Comments:
Author: For Realz?
Date: 7/16/2000

How the hell did you get some dude at the CIA to listen to your crazy story? Did you just tell your friend's dad that you're from the future? I can see how that would go:

"Oh, you're from the FUTURE? Then I guess we HAVE to listen to you! Let me get the Prez on the phone!"

Author: Traveler
Date: 7/16/2000

No, I knew that would sound crazy. I told them I was speaking on behalf of someone who didn't want to come forward on his own. I also mentioned some specifics, like about Muhammed Atta and such, that seemed to get their attention. Of course they could just suspect that I'm a terrorist, or connected with one in some way...but...I don't have a lot of options.

Author: Kari3000
Date: 7/16/2000

y don't u jus c ur girl now? y wait?

Author: travelerfanboy
Date: 7/16/2000

dood did you see you were in the NYT???

Author: Traveler
Date: 7/16/2000

Kari: I don't want to risk screwing things up by jumping the gun.

fanboy: Yeah, I saw :) exciting, huh? Even if the point of the story was "Traveler is a big fat attention whore", it's good to draw more attention...well, OK, maybe I AM an attention whore, but that's not the reason I've been pushing this stuff about the attack.

~ ~ ~

From the Wikipedia Article "Journal of the Traveler"
Section: Predictions and Controversies

Several accurate predictions were made on the Journal over the years, including the success of Blu-Ray Disc in gaining adoption as the standard for high definition video, the controversy around the 2000 presidential election, the reelection of George W. Bush in 2004, Google's launch of Gmail, and the founding of Facebook. All the predictions were made in such a way as to make them difficult to explain by recourse to anything other than the premise of the blog. Some products, such as Blu-Ray, did not even have their name at the time that the prediction was made. Others, like Facebook, had not even been conceived yet by their founders. Theories abound as to how this is possible.

The greatest controversy surrounds the successful prediction of the 9/11 attacks. More than a year before the attacks, a detailed "retelling" was posted on the Journal. This drew enough attention to increase the Journal's traffic substantially, and most dismissed it as a publicity stunt at the time. After the attacks, a full investigation was started on the background of the Traveler. It was discovered that he had been in close contact with a CIA agent for the year leading up to the attacks, and many have dismissed the prediction as based on extrapolation from insider information. The Traveler has argued that he began to meet with the agent after the initial prediction was made, in order to try and persuade them to do something, but few have taken him seriously.

Almost as controversial was the prediction of the 7 July 2005 London Bombings, although he didn't predict the year, only the day.

~ ~ ~

From the blog "Journal of the Traveler"
Post Title: Graduating Again
Post Date: 6/18/2003

The symbolic significance of this age old rite of passage is sort of lost on me the second time around. Having finished college before, it's more like the third graduation I've attended, actually. Still, I did a lot better on this strange do-over than I did the first time. As I've mentioned a few times here, I was a bit of a screwup. Nothing so bad as getting held back a year or anything like that, but let's just say I didn't graduate with a 3.0 GPA, or even close to one.

This time around I graduated with a 4.0 GPA, and I learned a hell of a lot more. If I keep up the pace, with the AP credits I earned I should be able to finish my BA early. Maybe even think about going to grad school this time around.

Moreover I'm already doing pretty well financially. I paid my parents back for the 20 stocks, and then some. They're still insisting on paying for college, though, and that's fine. I'll use the money I would have paid in tuition to invest in something really big that should be coming up in the next year or two, can't remember exactly. Suffice to say I'm keeping a close eye on one particular company that still isn't publicly traded.

I still regret being unable to stop 9/11 from happening. I like to think that I did everything I could, but even if that's true, it clearly wasn't enough. It's hard to believe that knowledge of the future can only be good for making me rich. No, I'm not really what you'd call "rich" yet, but I'll get there, trust me.

And there's still another five painfully long years before I can see her again. In my weakest hours I contemplate visits to the college she'll be attending to try and meet her by "chance". But I can't risk it. I'd rather lose all the money I've made than lose the woman I love.

Sometimes I think that waiting until the time we originally met is just cowardice. Maybe I'm just putting off connecting with her again because I'm afraid of how it will go. It's certainly true that I'm scared. But I think this is the best way, I really do. And I've been faithful to her these four years. What's another five?

~ ~ ~

From the blog "Engadget"
Post Author: Peter Rojas
Post Title: The Traveler Goes All In on Google
Post Date: 8/23/2004

Alan Fedorov, better known as the blogger of Journal of the Traveler, just spent every last penny he had on Google stock.

You remember Alan, right? He claims to be from the future, and his name became common knowledge after his predicted the 9/11 attacks more than a year before they happened. Over the years he's made some muted references to a couple of companies that he was going to bet his fortune on. Now that he's all in, he's finally announced what those companies were--Apple and Google.

It doesn't seem to me like you need any secret information to know that Google's a good bet right now. Apple is a little more interesting, though. They're still as small in the computer space, relative to Microsoft, as they ever have been. Moreover, when he first invested in them back in 2000 the iPod hadn't even been announced yet.

Alan assures us that there are some "very big things" coming down the line for both companies. One can't deny the guy's track record; whether or not he's from the future he must have a friend of a friend who knows his shit. All I'm saying is, it can't hurt to buy a share or two from either of these companies.

~ ~ ~

From the blog "Journal of the Traveler"
Post Title: Words Fail Me
Post Date: 8/30/2004

OK, so maybe I can't take credit for ALL of the sudden increase in Google and Apple's stock. Google, in particular, just went public, and they're a solid company, so it's to be expected that their stock would rise. Apple's is a little harder to explain otherwise.

I just want to make it clear that I did not come out with which companies I was investing in because I wanted to blow up the stock prices. I know that these stocks are going to increase enormously over the next six years, I don't really need them to jump up in the next week! I was just doing what I normally do; documenting a choice I made based on information about the future so that people would have trouble arguing that I'm a fraud.

It's a little hilarious that people are willing to take me seriously when money is on the line but not when lives are. It's also kind of infuriating. Maybe if I had said that the CIA people themselves were in the crosshairs they would have given a damn enough to do something about 9/11.

But no, that's not fair...if I was them I wouldn't have believed me either. I just can't believe that a bunch of investors do!

~ ~ ~

Email from Alan.Fedorov@gmail.com
Sent to Patrick.Kelley@gmail.com
Subject: I did it
Date: 4/20/2008

I saw her. We "met". I'm going to see her again.

~ ~ ~

Google Chat Transcript
Between Alan.Federov and Patrick.Kelley
In reply to "I did it"
Date: 4/20/2008

Patrick.Kelley: How? Where?
Alan.Fedorov: There's a Starbucks near her apartment. I may have staked it out.
Patrick.Kelley: Well that's not sketchy at all.
Alan.Fedorov: I waited eight long years. Allow me a little sketchy behavior.
Patrick.Kelley: Hey I'm on your side bro. I just don't want you to get overeager and scare her, you know?
Alan.Fedorov: I know, I know. I'm being cool, trust me.
Patrick.Kelley: You wouldn't know "cool" if it was in front of your face.
Alan.Fedorov: Fair point.
Patrick.Kelley: So how did you go about it?
Alan.Fedorov: Awkwardly. But I think I came off as "awkward cute" rather than "awkward creepy".
Patrick.Kelley: It's a fine line, that. But she's seeing you again?
Alan.Fedorov: In a couple of days! For a low-key dinner at a local Chinese place.
Patrick.Kelley: Classy.
Alan.Fedorov: Hence "low-key"
Patrick.Kelley: Does she know about the Journal?
Alan.Fedorov: I'm terrified to ask. If I ask and she didn't already know about it, she might look it up and find out. If I ask and she knew about it, but didn't put two and two together, she might realize who I am.
Patrick.Kelley: It's going to come up eventually.
Alan.Fedorov: Hopefully she loves me by then?
Patrick.Kelley: Look, the second she's halfway interested in you, she's going to Google you.
Alan.Fedorov: Damn Google. If it didn't make me so filthy rich, I'd really hate those guys right now.
Patrick.Kelley: Just take it slow. She's going to find out; prepare yourself for that. Don't lie to her about anything. You guys fell in love once, you'll do it again.
Alan.Fedorov: But what if she doesn't want to be with the crazy man who says he's from the future?
Patrick.Kelley: You convinced me that you weren't crazy, you can convince her when the time comes.
Alan.Fedorov: I wish I hadn't said anything, just kept my head down and lived my life over again quietly.
Patrick.Kelley: No you don't. You would have really gone crazy. You're just scared right now.
Alan.Fedorov: More than a little, yeah.
Patrick.Kelley: Don't worry. It will work out.

~ ~ ~

From the Wikipedia Article "Journal of the Traveler"
Section: Theories

The accuracy of the Traveler's predictions are beyond dispute. As such, numerous theories and speculations have been made as to how he got his information.

There are many theories concerning a leak inside federal intelligence agencies, though these appeared much less credible when the Traveler's identity was revealed in 2001 and it became clear that he was just a high school student. Still, his connection with the CIA prior to 9/11 seem to indicate this may be among the most plausible of the theories. More extreme conspiracy theorists argue that the Traveler was directly behind the 9/11 attacks. These theories form part of the body of the 9/11 Truth Movement, which claims that the Islamic terrorist angle is just a smokescreen for a larger conspiracy.

Another, related theory is that the Traveler has secret industry contacts. This mostly sets out to explain the specific knowledge of product launches that he has displayed.

Some even believe that the Traveler is being honest about his journey through time. Neurologist Robert Burton, making reference to the Traveler, argued that no matter how conclusive and rational the evidence, people would never alter their beliefs dramatically enough to accommodate inexplicable time travel just because of one man.

~ ~ ~

From the blog "Journal of the Traveler"
Post Title: The Light has Gone Out of My Life
Post Date: 2/22/2009

I wasn't going to write anything about this because I was afraid to screw things up, but apparently it's too late for that anyway and I've had a few. So, here goes.

I finally worked up the backbone to "meet" the love of my life again a little less than a year ago. We've been seeing each other since then and it has been going fantastic. It felt like fresh air after eight years of not breathing. The chemistry was still there. I didn't get too nervous or jump the gun or do anything stupid. Or so I thought.

She hadn't heard of this blog. Somehow. By some miracle. Which is probably what gave me these precious months with her. I never asked her, but I know she didn't. How do I know?

Because she talked to her mom about meeting me, and her mom put together who I was.

The last time I saw her she just wanted to confirm it was true. I never lied to her, not once; I may not have come out and told her this stuff but I didn't lie to cover it up. So when she asked me straightforwardly I answered honestly.

It's been almost three weeks since that talk and I haven't heard from her. She doesn't return my calls or e-mails.

So I'm starting to think it really worked out the way I was afraid it would. I made a fortune but lost the only thing that really matters to me. And the worst part is I have no one but myself to blame; if I had never started this stupid blog in the first place I never would have garnered the kind of attention I've had, and her mom wouldn't know who I was. She wouldn't be thinking that I'm just some nut.

Only one year left until I'm back in my "present". Why did this happen to me? Why couldn't I just keep my big mouth shut, when it did?

I don't know if there are going to be any more posts. I don't really care, about this or much of anything at the moment.

~ ~ ~

Email from Patrick.Kelley@gmail.com
Sent to AriGior@gmail.com
Subject: Please Don't be Hasty
Date: 3/5/2009

Arianna,

Why did you suddenly cut Alan out of your life? Do you really think that he's just some nut? You brag all the time about how great a judge of character you are--did you get "nut job" for the almost a year that you two were seeing each other?

Remember when you admitted to me, sheepishly, that you thought Alan was "a real catch"? That you could see yourself with him, pretty much forever? Do you remember that, Ari?

Did all that change just because he's the Traveler?

If so then I owe him an apology. I thought you were better than that.

Email from AriGior@gmail.com
Sent to Patrick.Kelley@gmail.com
Subject: re: Please Don't be Hasty
Date: 3/7/2009

Who the hell do you think you are? What would you know?

Yes, I felt very strongly about Alan. No, that didn't change. But what am I supposed to do? He never told me about any of this. One day I up and find out that he's some guy who claims he's from the future? What am I supposed to make of that?

Email from Patrick.Kelley@gmail.com
Sent to AriGior@gmail.com
Subject: re: re: Please Don't be Hasty
Date: 3/7/2009

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be insulting or unfair. I'm just watching my best friend go through hell and I think it's pointless when you clearly were great together.

He convinced me that he was telling the truth. How about you give me the chance to do the same, for you? Would you be open to meeting up to discuss this in person?

One chance is all I ask. But if you're convinced, then you've got to talk to him again.

Email from AriGior@gmail.com
Sent to Patrick.Kelley@gmail.com
Subject: re: re: re: Please Don't be Hasty
Date: 3/7/2009

Fine. Where/when do you want to meet?

~ ~ ~

SMS Message from the phone of Arianna Giordano
Sent to the phone of Alan Fedorov
Date: 3/10/2009

I'm sorry. Come see me?

SMS Message from the phone of Alan Fedorov
Sent to the phone of Arianna Giordano
Date: 3/10/2009

You have nothing to apologize for. I will be there in five minutes.

~ ~ ~

From the blog "Gawker"
Post Author: Maureen O'Connor
Post Title: Chronicle of a Wedding Foretold
Post Date: 6/19/2010

If you asked Alan Fedorov whether marrying Arianna Giordano was fate, or pre-arranged, he might just tell you that it was, and he might have more reason than most for supposing so.

Fedorov is better known as the blogger of Journal of the Traveler, started more than ten years ago, where he claimed he had been sent back to his own past from, well, now. About three months from now, to be exact. He gained a great deal of notoriety when he predicted, among other things, 9/11 more than a year before it happened. To this day no one has really provided a satisfactory explanation--that is, an explanation that didn't involve implausible conspiracy theories or...well, time traveling.

Giordano was just out of college when she met Fedorov, and they dated for almost a year before she found out who he was.

If her smiling face in the picture is any indication, it seems she's gotten over any questions she had about her fiancée's sanity. It couldn't hurt that he's a millionaire, having invested in Google as soon as it went public and Apple before the iPod (much less iPhone or iPad!)

Fedorov has closed up shop at the Journal of the Traveler, permanently he claims.

"I'm back at where I started, though the journey's gone a little differently this time," he said at a press conference this past Tuesday, "I have nothing more to say about the future. I don't know any more about it than any of you."

So ends one of the most fun and speculated about episodes in blogging history. We may never know the real story behind where Fedorov got his information; he's kept us guessing this long and now he's not going to be feeding us anything new.

So good-bye, Traveler--and congratulations to you both on this happy occasion.