Wednesday, March 02, 2005

randomness, Dilbert and cyber stalking

I have one of my favourite Dilbert cartoons pinned up at my desk at work (doesn't everyone?). In this one Dilbert is on his tour of accouting and one of the trolls introduces him to the random number generator. The generator is a troll sitting there saying "nine, nine, nine, nine, nine" (everytime I read this cartoon, I read the part of the troll in the same voice). Dibert looks at the troll and asks "are you sure that's random?" and the troll replies, "that's the trouble with randomness, you never know for sure." And so on to today's tale of randomness. . . .

I went to check out Help me bubby because I had heard about it somewhere and it sounded interesting. Up at the top was that little "next blog" button and I couldn't help it, I clicked. Down the rabbit hole with both feet. I came to a blog written by a pyschiatrist in Maine. The title is May Shrink or Fade which I found hilarious, so I started reading. It's a great blog, I highly recommend it. I've read several of the posts and I keep thinking, "me too" and I have to stop myself from commenting all over it, because really, who wants 15 me too's from someone they've never met? (Although the part about addressing rules to the cat as if they applied to several cats in the house and not just one, and you'd make an excpetion for him if you could. . . .might have to put a little me too on that one.)

As I was reading it today, I started to wonder, am I cyber stalking this guy? I have read quite a bit of his blog lately, I'm forming opinions, I've heard myself utter the phrase "No update. bummer." And then I have to wonder, it is possible to stalk someone who willingly puts their life out there? It's funny. Here is a totally random connection (and admittedly, I use the word connection loosely) and here I am thinking both "I think I'd enjoy this person in real life" and "there is no way I'd ever have MET this person in real life" and just now . . .if sitting in front of the computer isn't real life, where is it? But that's probably because I'm reading Brian Greene at the moment.

Who knows. Practical randomness and faceless familiar faces aside, it's time to go to Pilates.

3 comments:

orangejack said...

You're not stalking anyone. When they post for the world to read, they intend it! And they invite you to participate via comments. So have fun!

Oh, and this is the real world as we know it! If it happens, it's real!

Mandy said...

Well you have been hanging out with me, so if it is discovered that you are in fact stalking, I will take full responsibility for your actions... Hey, I can't help it if you learnt from the best!!! hahaha!

kelly ens said...

"me too." HA! darn that little "Next Blog" button, eh? i suppose it's true that if you put something on the internet, it's bound to be found by people you don't know. And bloggers should know that getting into it, so....keep on reading the strangers' blogs.