Shock and Awe

From an email from a friend of mine:

"I met some ladies in Miami last weekend who say they read your blog religiously and want to meet you and hug you for the great job you are doing.

They are huge fans of yours."
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The other night a friend of mine "confessed" that she had been reading my blog, as some are tempted to do from time to time.

As usual, my first feeling was one of amazement -- she knows that it exists?

Then I wondered if I had mentioned her by name... and cautiously asked if I had said anything bad...

She said no, and I asked "what did I say again?" -- my mind was truly blank as I thought about what nonsense I had stayed up late to (as my wife generously puts it) "pull out of my a** to put in that blog."

She told me that she had read my business blog (written by my tamer, saner self) and listed a couple of things that would not get me in so much trouble. I relaxed a bit.

Then came the email my friend sent above, and all the mad thoughts came back.

After all, I started writing this blog to entertain myself... thinking that someone else might want to move back to Jamaica and needed to figure out how to order, pack and ship their container.

Now it has a life of its own. And women who I don't know want to hug me.

Not that I have a problem with that.

I mean, they really don't know how many whiskers I leave on the bathroom sink when I have "cleaned up" after shaving my beard and head. They don't know what I smell like after a 3 hour ride -- all they know are the words I write in my blog. Heavily edited. Spell-checked. Screened by my wife.

But do they know me?

Sometime back when I wrote about match.com, I shared that long emails were the best way to "date" someone _before_ meeting them in person. In effect, they give the brain and spirit a head-start in getting to know someone... long before the physical bells and whistles start going off in that first face to face meeting.

I think I mentioned that it was much, much better than meeting someone in person first... feeling the physical attraction... falling under its sway... only for the brain and spirit to ask, belatedly, months later "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

So, I do appreciate the fact that words can help you to know someone.. in part anyway.

All that to say... thanks to any and everyone who reads this blog.

I accept the hugs warmly and send them back.

But I warn all readers... at least until I get the whisker and smell thing handled, I show up much better online than in person, so I recommend virtual contact for your safety.

P.S.
Thanks to those readers who actually know me for being able to read the blog without tying it too much to the guy whose picture appears on the site.