One of my favorite ways to get a message for the day is to notice the first vanity plate that I see on a car after going outside.

Today, the first vanity plate I noticed read SNAKEGUY. The car was parked opposite my house.

Woo-hoo. The first Snakeguy who comes to mind is Asklepios, the ancient Greek god of dream healing who was immensely popular in the Mediterranean world for 1,000 years. His symbol is a snake wrapped around a staff. We still see that everywhere – on the side of ambulances, on hospital doors, on insurance company letterhead. People traveled from all over, often braving great dangers, in hopes of a nocturnal encounter with the sacred healer who might come in the form of one of Asklepios’ snake familiars, literally slithering over the dormant pilgrim in the abaton (the dormitory of the god) or in much larger visionary form.

But there are lots of other Snakeguys. There’s the snake in the grass, the snake charmer, the snake that can shed its skin, the sexy beast. Not sure which one the guy with the vanity plate had in mind when he put in his order to the Department of Motor Vehicles (but my guess is the last). As for what exactly my sighting portends….well, I’ll just have to pay attention to the what follows today, including any serpentine trail of events…