Six Degrees -- Or Fewer?

I like to scan through the Friend Finder on Facebook. It suggests friends for you based on mutual acquaintances. Sometimes I find new friends, sometimes I find people I don't necessarily want to reconnect with. And other times -- twice, in fact -- I find people that know people I know but the people I know do not know each other. Clear as mud? Let me explain.

In the first instance, Facebook suggested I befriend Joe (not his real name, don't remember his real name, not important) because Joe was friends with my brother and one of my friends -- a friend I have never met face to face, but in fact, know from a message board. My brother and my message board friend do not know each other. Furthermore, my brother lives in Arkansas and my message board friend lives in Washington DC and will likely never meet each other. Very odd.

The second instance was tonight. Facebook suggested I befriend John (not his real name, do remember his real name, still not important) because John is friends with my friend Abby and my friend Ellie. Abby and Ellie do not know each other. At least, I don't think they do. I know them from very different circles that haven't ever crossed to my knowledge. But they do both live in the Denver Metro area so I suppose they could know each other and I just don't know it.

Anyway, all of this points, yet again, to our surprisingly small world of 6,760,844,960 individuals.

No, I didn't pull 6,760,844,960 out my ear. I got it from here. BTW, that number jumped by 30 in less than a minute. Fascinating. How do they do that?

My New Profile Photo

See that? It's pure awesomeness. No explanation necessary. Let us take a moment to bask in the glow of the awesomeness that is The Office. Amen.

I bought myself the complete Fourth Season of The Office for Christmas. I got it from a friend of an online friend, in unopened packaging, for about half of what it costs at Best Buy or Target. Paypal, message boards and the internets all coming together to bring me a gift I love. It's such a beautiful thing. It even comes with the script to one of the best episodes of that season. :geeks out:

The only problem is that my touch of OCD and procrastinating perfectionism is keeping me from watching any of it yet. My house is quickly nearing that previously alluded to state of chaos which means that I will spend the better part of today decluttering, organizing, sweeping, mopping and dusting until I am able to flop on my sofa and do nothing -- nothing but fully and truly appreciate all that Season Four has to offer.

So let it be written, so let it be done.

I Shall Smite Thee

I belong to an internet message board. It's a regular part of my internet life and for the most part, it remains safely ensconced within that boundary. There are occasions, however, when the message board seeps into my Real Life.

Most recently, it's been with the smiting of people. See, on this particular message board, there is this karma function. You can use it to smite someone or applaud them, according to your whim. The vast majority of the time, karma is left alone and no one really thinks about it except for silly little jokes. Lately, I've found myself wanting to give people internet smites in my Real Life.

Use the phrase 'puppy niece' one too many times in my presence and you may find yourself the recipient of my personal smite.

Cut me off in traffic?

Smite.

Offer me two sizes of coffee and call them medium and large?

Smite.

Allow your child to shred the exam table paper all over the room and not pick up at least some of it?

Smite. Repeatedly.

Rambling About Nothing Much

As it turns out, I'm not as sick as I thought I was. Yay for flu shots! It is rather annoying, however to walk around for three days, feeling as if I need to sneeze all the time.

I like this packing up process. It's good to have the opportunity to go through all my stuff and throw out useless stuff. I love simplifying my life this way. I have made two trips to Goodwill this month. I've also taken numerous loads of stuff to the dumpster outside.

Pandora.com is one of the coolest sites I have come across. You can search for a music artist you really like and they'll offer other choices in a similar genre. From there, I can search for them on Project Playlist and create a playlist to fit my current mood.

I met an internet friend IRL yesterday. (IRL means "in real life" -- 'cause you know, the internet isn't actually real and has no bearing on my life.) It was very cool. She and I have known each other online for a few years now. It was sort of surreal to see this person that knows some very private stuff about me, in the flesh for the first time.

I think I need to drop BCIS. It's that computer class that I was told I have to have. Looking at the book and the syllabus has struck fear into my poor little heart. I need something a little less stressful right now.

And that brings us to the end of this episode of Rambling About Nothing Much. Stay tuned for the next installment which could well feature musings about the dust bunnies I am sure to encounter when I move my furniture out of this place.

Edited to say ... for some reason this post says it was on Friday, January 18. I actually posted it on Sunday, January 20. I'm not sure what's going on with that.