Whooo are you and Where Is Your Online Presence!?

I found this really amusing and had to share.

I got a call from a friend this morning and was asked what I've been up to.

So I said the usual: reading, writing & relaxing.

Apparently this wasn't good enough (didn't know there was a wrong answer to that one!) because the next question was: Well what are you writing? Just writing your column and that's all???

So I answered that I was working on some collaborative projects and mostly focusing on my book...why? Was something wrong?

The answer had me speechless in stitches:

Well you know I just spoke to so and so and she asked me where you've been because we never hear that you are doing any spoken word stuff, so we Googled you, you know to see if you had blogs posted, articles in new forums, etc. Nobody really knows what you're doing all the way up there (Note: that would be one state away in NJ) and we see that you haven't posted much on a regular basis lately... other than stuff about the baby... and yoga... congratulations by the way--when are you due? October? I think I heard October. Anyway, when will we be able to read your book?

I am still blowing my nose from laughing till tears.

Allow me to explain why this is so humorous--if you don't know me (if you do, you get it already) and clarify why it's posted here where all the world can see.

I have various circles of friends and acquaintances. Many of them know each other, others do not. All of them are sporadically in and out of touch with me, which is completely cool because life is busy. We have families. We have jobs. We have stuff that we pour our energy into each day and that is life. So generally, when I get to catch up with one or two of my sporadic friends it would be at an open mic or a street fair, or maybe an art show that brings together multiple friends from various circles and promises a good time.  And sometimes one of us makes an effort to meet up in twos or threes and
conversation and coffee flows and all is well that day. That's about as exciting as it is for me. Calm is good. I like calm.

I don't write only in one subject area, there are fiction and non-fiction components to my work, but I've noticed that often the fiction parts get twisted into something they are not/and misinterpreted (fine by me--makes for more readers) Most of what I hold dear happens offline--sorry to disappoint the blind-splitting onlookers who have not yet learned how to inquire directly by just striking up a convo. It's just that easy: Hey, how's it going? Haven't seen you in a while. Feel like a latte?

Perhaps the best part of all this is that if this person had even begun to read anything I've shared online, they would know that we are due in August, yoga is a huge part of who I am and yes these are two things I write publicly about because they bring me joy. Joy is best when shared with others.

Simply put, life is not that complicated. If you want an update from a friend--just ask! Would you really tell others that you Googled them earlier in passing? Or is that something you reserve only for me? Because we are such close friends?

Well guess what--while everyone Googles everyone else, I'm spending afternoons with people who have thoroughly honed their communication skills and we are having lots of fun.  I'm also smiling as I type this because I look forward to Googling you right back--hey you started it (and I really have the obligation now don't I?)

Ahh the lazy days of summer. Days like today make me glad for this break. They also add to the book... and the next one and the next one and... well you get the point.

Enjoy your friends IN PERSON WHENEVER POSSIBLE though they sure can be a hoot on the phone!
xo