David Hoyle

Caffeine addicts, cast your vote below.

Like this poll? You can get it on a coffee mug at my online store.

CAMBRIDGE, MA — There were few surprises at this week’s Déjà Vu conference, held at the MIT Center for Cosmic Redundancy.

Leading experts in the field of Déjà Vu studies gathered to compare notes on this strange psychological or neurophysiological phenomenon, which manifests itself as the illusion of having previously experienced something actually being encountered for the first time.

But conference participants seemed disappointed with the lack of spontaneity in the conference agenda. “Every year it’s the same thing,” said one conference-goer. “We always know exactly what to expect. It’s as if we’ve heard all of the lectures before, and even the food is predictable. And every night after dinner they make us watch Groundhog Day. By the way, you look sort of familiar — have we met before?”

When asked to comment, conference chairman Dewitt Agin seemed unperturbed. “I knew someone was going to say that,” said Agin. ” I totally saw that one coming. In our field of study, everything is to be expected. By the way, don’t I know you from somewhere?”

A minor controversy erupted when several conference participants accused keynote speaker Duke Plicate of presenting the same lecture — entitled “Been There, Done That” — year after year. Unfortunately, there was no way to prove or disprove the assertion.