I am writing for myself and strangers. This is the only way that I can do it... Gertrude Stein

9/18/2004

Okay, THAT'S IT!

I have been sleuthing.

I now have a whole virtual world made up of people I have never met.

I noticed today that Lucy posted from Philip's house-- or seemingly did, because she has used his email and url. On my blog's comments.

This could be a conceit. Or Philip playing a joke. Or Lucy doing it.

So, I read Kathy's blog. And Stacey makes a comment about Bill accidentally posting as her, and how that has been happening a lot today.

I have never met these people. But I know they live in Cleveland and that Kathy recently went to visit them.

So, I go read their blog, and I read the comments and... Lucy has posted there from Philip's specs. Now, even I am not paranoid to believe that this is a conceit designed to fool me because as far as I know, nobody knows I read Stacey and Bill's blog.

And I know that Lucy got on a plane and is at a slumber party today. And that Philip is hosting one.

How on earth did Philip and Lucy get together? She is in Chicago, he is in Washington.

Can you tell that I need to take a shower and go rent a video or read a book or somehow or other get a real life?

But, the funny thing is, this is actually real life. Completely made up of people I have never met, who really do exist, and we are all inter-connected daily through these blogs, through text, through the written word. And even though the written word is silent, I have all of their voices in my head, these distinct voices, and I feel as if I know them, and I think about them and I worry about them.

Just like they were characters in my favorite book.

I love the blogosphere.

The written word is an amazing thing. I am amazed.