To you I'm a stranger*

....and the world folds in on itself.

I admit it, I’ve been pretty curious about fellow bloggers. There have been times when I’ve contemplated some kind of enormous get-together where we all stand around and regurgitate the funny lines from our blogs before lapsing into the inevitable awkward silence. There will be moments when we realise that the person we are chatting to has an in-depth knowledge of our waxing regimens, and the internet will be devoid of witty banter for a couple of hours, but I don’t let these things dissuade me.

Or at least I didn’t, until last week.

In the last week I have had no fewer than THREE incidents that have caused a sharp intake of breath on my behalf, and a realization that the world is frankly, small (after all).


Incident # 1

While perusing the various blogs I like to read, this week I came across a story about a girl I *loved* at primary school (she was two years older than me, but as there were only five girls at the school I went to, we were very good friends). This girl, who is not identified by her full name on the blog in question, was revealed to me to be an awesome, awesome legend in adult life. I am so very pleased about this. I would tell you where you can find this wonderful story, except that it might reveal the fact that I have a hyperactive brain that pulls together the kind of minute detail that other people might miss, obsessive Watergate-reporter style.


Incident # 2

While idly day-dreaming and thinking about the things we know and don’t know about our blogging compadres, I pieced together some information about another blogger (it was one of those click, click, click BOOM! moments). I discovered that there is the distinct possibility that this person knows a boy I went out with in high school, with whom this blogger shares an occupation. In fact, I have the strong suspicion that they shared a workplace.


Incident # 3

While perusing another blog, I found that a fellow blogger had spent a significant period of time in the same “scene” as me. In fact, this person may well know more than one person that I know. I promptly emailed this person to see whether or not we knew anyone in common. What I found is that not only did we know people who knew each other, we had been in the same place ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION and had probably TALKED IN REAL LIFE.

My deep-seated George Costanza “worlds-are-colliding” feeling is exacerbated by the fact that we actually share a dislike of a particular person. On top of that, I discovered over the weekend that I wrote a reasonably scathing article (for me anyway, I used to try and dwell on the positive, something I have grown out of now) about something the blogger was involved in, which is no fault of the blogger in question. I wonder what the statute of limitations is on being cross with an up-startish young priss who thinks she knows everything about “the scene”**?


I thought I was all down with the "I don't need anonymity" thing.

I was wrong. But if I was a cat, I would be dead by now***.



* Look at me quoting the Sharp! For the second time in six months!

** All suggestions gratefully received, although five years seems reasonable…

*** "Satisfaction" pending.