Self Goggling and Looking Up Friends...

06 Jan 2009

Update 2009:What prompted this posting is someone sent me a post card to my parents address. It read just this...

White Flag - Dido

So first off why send the post card? Why not just pick up the phone? I've had the same cell phone number... it's never changed. Then it reminded me of a post I started last year. It's been in the draft area for almost a year now. I never did answer why I don't just look someone up and call them. So read the draft post below... and then read the response and drop me a line.

So, it's the new year and I usually start wondering how people I know are doing. Normally, one would go through the email list and start emailing. However, now in the Web 2.0... 3.0... x.0... whatever. You just search. Their LinkedIn Profiles show up, MySpace page, YouTube videos, etc. Almost their entire online history. It's kind of fun and fascinating really. Then, there is the funny side effect where you start searching outside of your close friends and start searching other people you just know or knew. This however I think borders on the dangerous - to contact or not to contact. Some friendships or relationships ended for a reason... even if you (I) still don't have a clue why after 10 years. I had this rule when dating never date the same person twice. You broke up for a reason and your bound to run into that same reason the second (third, fourth, etc) time around. It served we well over the years. I, of course, learned this the very hard way. My memories of college in Austin are so vivid some times. It was a very emotional growing time for me. I personally think it's those years that molded me into who I am today. I have to admit thought there are times when you wonder. Take in point your first crush or love. Do you ever really stop having some feeling for them. I personally think that time is loves greatest healer. I believe over time you have the memories of those feels, they never really go away your memory of them changes over time. Seeing them or reading about them bring those 'memorized feelings' back. This usually happens when I start looking up past girl friends. My list is by no means large there was MG (hs), AM, EV, RE (college), GB, and CB (after college). It's interesting to see what they are up to. But it always leads to the temptation to contact them. I would urge against this. However, I'm always tempted to see did I make the right decisions in life. Something I always dwell on. At the end of the day I have a wife I'm crazy about and my sons. What more can you ask for? Nothing. I have a great job (every job has it's moments); understanding wife that lets me go out, play with LEGO, and have these crazy ideas; a roof over my shoulder (three actually); and a great family support group.

I never did finish the post. So here's my answer why I haven't contacted you. First off at one point I most likely made myself available to talk, etc. I tried (sometimes not as well as I would have liked - I'm really not very good with this) to end things amicability so if you needed a friend you could contact me and we could reminisce or laugh and remember the good times. Or if you just needed help you could call and ask. What happened is at some point you said to stop contacting you or you stopped replying to emails.

So I guess what I'm saying is I'm not opposed to catching up and seeing that at the end of the day your OK.

If your someone out there who is wondering if they should contact me and we were friends, co-workers, classmates, etc. Just drop me a line the worst that can happen is your message gets lost in the spam filter.

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