Globally challenged
Every now and again I like to check the stats for this blog: to see how many visitors have stopped by, how they got here and if they came vis another site. I'm always interested to see where people are from geographically. I got very excited when I had my first visitor from Kuala Lumpur (mostly because I really enjoy saying Kuala Lumpur).
But I've noticed I have a very odd mindset when it comes to checking the stats. For example, I get many folks visiting from Texas. So I'll sit and think, "Golly. Who do I know in Texas? Greg and Em and...huh. I can't think of anybody else, but I must be forgetting because there are Texans visiting my blog." The whole point of publicity: reaching out to folks who don't know you seems to have missed me. I assume anybody interested in me knows me.
Similarly, at my launch party I was delighted (and again) surprised when strangers attended. These folks didn't even KNOW me. Wow!
I worry that I must come across as somebody who never leaves the house, much less the state of Massachusetts by saying things like "You're from Florida! Amazing! Do you know my friend Dawn?"
I've got to work on being suave, urbane. I remind myself I once lived in Manhattan, but then I realize that the city exacerbates my "do I know you?" mindset because Northeastern city folk do NOT talk to strangers. We freak out a bit when strangers talk to us. Stranger danger indeed.
I've got a reading coming up Thursday. I'm going to practice not sounding like an idiot lest I run into anyone I don't know. The people who do know me? I'll just have to tell them to keep my idiocy under wraps.