When the Internet is Creepy

Scenario - A friend tells me about StumbleUpon. It seems kind of cool. I make a small profile and look around. Not long after, some guy finds my profile.

Guy: Hi Robin I like the Picture, it makes you think when I look at it.

Me: Thanks

Guy*: Thank you so much for getting back in touch with me as it actually made my day!!!, I don't know what made me so excited about you and how it all happen, but I am very interested to find out. I'm thinking I would like to know more about you. You sound like all that a man would need, is this true?

*This is only a tiny section of his letter.

Me: If you are looking for qualities of honesty, loyalty and respect, perhaps you should have had enough respect to read my profile before contacting me in this manner. The only real fact I mention about myself is that I'm in a relationship, and only online looking for friends.

Furthermore, since I am not single, even if I were interested in corresponding with you, I would have to be unfaithful to my boyfriend to interact with you, which would prove I am dishonest and disloyal, and therefore, by default, not what you say you are looking for.

Since I'm sure you use this letter over and over again, I thought I'd help you out with a vocabulary lesson to help you embarrass yourself a little less next time.


pa·tience -noun: the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.

pa·tient(s) -noun: a person who is under medical care or treatment.

ef·fect -noun: something that is produced by an agency or cause; result; consequence

af·fect -verb (used with object): to act on; produce an effect or change in

too -adverb: to an excessive extent or degree; beyond what is desirable, fitting, or right

to -preposition: used for expressing motion or direction toward a point, person, place, or thing approached and reached, as opposed to from


As far as your question about a "pretty lady" like me being on the internet, I am online to share media and ideas, and it is our harassment at the hands of men like you that make women like me so reluctant to appear in internet communities. It is ridiculous that you describe my polite, single word reply as a "letter" and construe it as my desire to get to know you. I try not to immediately assume all men who contact me randomly are creepy, but time and time again men like you prove me wrong.

Please do not contact me again.

Big Day

Well, it's done. I'll post the whole thing tomorrow. Or the next day. Or maybe Sunday, when I have some time off work again. I'm absolutely exhausted and can't sit in front of the computer any longer tonight. And my hand is cramping. And my neck hurts from sitting in the same position for so long. Oh, the woes and perils of creative expression.

The final total (although it has a number of gaps and plot flaws/sudden redirections that need to be smoothed out): 104, 176 words.

In other big news, I got a new web job today. I'll be working for a calligrapher. I met with her this afternoon and then came home and bought the domain. Keep an eye out for changes over the next few weeks. I think this will be a cool project.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who voted in support of my noveling binge - and fie on whoever selected, "No way." =)

An Interactive Entry

Today while I was joining frames at work, my boss walked in. This does not always happen on Mondays, as the gallery is technically closed. Anyway, I said hello to Nick, he asked me a few questions about some orders from last week, and then he said, "So, since I'm going to be out of town later this week I'm thinking maybe I'll just have you work Thursday, Friday and Saturday."

Basically, this means that instead of working my normal 25ish hours strung out over five days, I'll work my normal 25ish hours in three. Most importantly, I'll get Tuesday and Wednesday entirely off.

What am I going to do with this unbroken time on my hands? At first, I didn't know, but as I mulled over my options, it came to me. I'm going to finish my novel. And since I feel an utterly absurd but undeniably strong urge to add a little poll widget thingie to my blog, I'm asking you, dear reader, if you believe I can do it or not.

So, can I write 17,355 words in two days? Leave your opinion over to the upper right.