Wednesday, October 31, 2007

P.I.

A P.I. came to my house today. Being in the science world, "P.I." stands for principle investigator, the guy who runs the research lab, the boss, the guy who writes grants that, these days, probably won't get funded. But there is another "P.I" that is more widely recogized as a private investigator. One came to my house today. My significant other has just entered a field in which he needs security clearance. This P.I. called, set up an appointment, showed up to the minute, on the dot, came in, sat on my couch, with notepad and pen in hand. It was very robotic. Not at all how I had imagined it. She had done this many times. I guessed she was just here to confirm information that had already been given to her. I suddenly was being asked questions like "Do you have any reason to suspect or question your husband's loyalty to the United States?", and "Has there been anytime since you have been married that you can not account for your husband's whereabouts, etc.?" There was a 2 week trip to Taiwan to race a solar car and, collectively, 3-4 weeks of backpacking with his buddy, but other than that, yes I can attest for everyday of our 2 year, 3 month, and 11 day marriage together. It was a very surreal experience.
When she finished the robot-voiced questions, she looked up, broke character, smiled and said, "Okay, that's it." In and out, like she was never actually there...

Epiphany

Hello.
"Blog", such a little word and such a huge concept. I entered the blog world about 10 months ago with intentions to keep the grandparents updated. Though pictures of my son probably keep them satisified, I somehow felt I was misusing my http://. We recently moved even further away from my family and friends. I found myself missing the place we used to live and got caught in a blogging spree, visiting friends links, amazed at how much has changed already. But then, something happened...I wandered onto a blog of someone I didn't know. You may be saying, "DUH, that's what they are for!" But I had always thought that if I were to click on a link of something that I didn't have a clear expectation of, I would find some graphic picture, racey words, or sicko website I wished I'd have never gone to. Turns out, I'm the one that has been missing out. There is a whole world out there just waiting to be discovered. I wonder if "blogging" is going to be added to the dictionary this year.

It is interesting to me that some people write as if they have a specific audience: their family, sister, circle of girlfriends, moms on the block. Others write into the deep, eternal space of cyber. Don't you feel sometimes like you are looking into someone's underwear drawer? Reading someone's thoughts about a personal sickness, catching a glimpse of the family vacation. I feel like that guy on Heros, what's his name... (let me look it up) Matt, who can hear people's thoughts. I wonder if this is what it is like in Heaven where we can communicate just by thinking. That is how I feel when I read someone's blog. Who knows how many "thoughts" are floating out there just waiting to be intercepted.

I have no one in particular I'm writing to. So if you are reading this, I am writing to youi