Wednesday, March 29, 2006

How To Create an Internet Rumour.



1. Decide to take a quick blog break between part 1 & part 2 of a certain tedious but highly necessary month-end procedure. Pick Favorite Kayak Blog A (sole prop. Blogger A), who's got the "New Stuff" notice in your blogroll.

2. Click over to find that the new post is about a very cool upcoming expedition planned by Famous Kayakwoman A, who's being joined for part of the expedition by Famous Kayakwoman B,

3. Realize that this is the same expedition that you heard about weeks ago in an email exchange with Blogger B, sole prop., Favorite Kayak Blog B.

4. Get curious about whether Blogger A's vague references to sources could also be Blogger B.

5. Compose email Blogger A to ask. Add Blogger B at last minute because you think it would be funny. Inadvertently substitute Famous Kayakwoman C's name for Famous Kayakwoman A.

6. Ignoring fact that month-end procedure is beginning to clear it's metaphorical throat, decide to also include information you stumbled over a couple of days earlier (after duplicating a Google search that Sitemeter says brought someone to your blog) about a non-aquatic passion of everyone's favorite Greenland-style mystery man (ok truth be known, you just couldn't pass up the chance to use the words "quiet intensity" to describe him even if it's in relation to an issue about which you don't know enough to even have an opinion).

7. Finally heeding continuing metaphorical throat-clearing of month-end task, hurriedly hit "send" without bothering to check names in the first half of email, which goes winging off to recipients on 2 continents with error intact.

Fortunately I checked back into email before Blogger B (who was kind of excited - of course anything involving Famous Kayakwoman B has that effect on him!) started trying to coordinate anything between Famous Kayakwomen A through C. And even if I hadn't, well, as Internet rumours go this one was pretty harmless & probably would've been laid to rest quite rapidly even if I hadn't intervened.

Pity they're not all that easy to squelch.

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