Flipping Opinions and Baking Thoughts
I wonder if my insecure and oftentimes frustrating need to seek third-party validation for almost everything I do, is unique to me or a gnat on everyone’s hair, likewise? I question whether my first instinct to “google it” stems from occupational hazard (in needing to be accurate, and in being connected all the time) or in needing to confirm and reconfirm something as individual as taste.
After I catch a movie, I formulate about 75% of my own opinion. But I have to google it. I have to check what people say on rottentomatoes. After I read a book or buy a new CD, I have to read what people think on the forums. That’s why I usually put my thoughts down first, lest they get run over, independent-thought roadkill splattered over the edge of mass opinion’s highway.
Am I weak? Am I insecure? Or am I just hungry for balanced opinion? Goodness knows I’m not democracy’s number one fan, so to hell with fairness and equal opinion, right?
Recently, I was covering a SuSE event, and one of the speakers gave me a tux pin (of tux, not for tuxedos) and their surprisingly-cute plush gecko mascot. (With magnetic feet—how cool is that?)
Trust me, that alone pretty much made my entire weekend, which goes to show you my scale of judgment. Or at least how sad my life is, clearly.
Anyway, they wanted to loan me a laptop with SuSE’s new enterprise Linux loaded on so I could test it out, and I was pretty excited. But then I got sucked into the forums, debating Debian and SuSE and all that, and now my opinions are somewhat skewed. Though I’m not the best person to be giving the techy-speak on which Linux distribution is better, I have to say that the overpowering Debian fans are rather convincing. Gah! Independence of thought bedamned.
And don’t get me started on my soon-to-be-collected HP iPAQ hw6965 (it’s a phone). Just as I was excited, I innocently stumbled headlong into this, a 37-page (and counting) forum discussion, battling the phone’s merits. I’m still looking forward to getting it, but…but…is it right? [/trembling hands]
The frailty of my mind is clearly not something to be tampered with, people. I’m weak, indecisive and feeble-minded…sometimes. Or all the time. Umm.
Oh, and I need a name for my gecko. Suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Well, I can tell you that I’ve been using the hw6515 for almost a year now… and it rocks!
It will be right for you… I assure you… heh. In-built GPS/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/quad band…. what’s not to like?
Hey, if you thought Superman Returns was one big setup for a sequel, you should see Pirates of the Caribbean 2.. sequel setting-up was THE over-riding concern of its creators.
Gecko: Gordon (m. douglas’ character in Wall St)
bill seems to be a nice gecko-ish name. bill the gecko. ack.
Spiro> I know! Getting too excited about it.
Stasher and Joe> Thanks for the suggestions. I like those. I also appreciate how you thought of boy-names, not like my Editor, who was insisting on “Mariela”. Hmm.
Name it Akamaru
or like
Greenthing
OHHHHHHHH or VICTOR
like the dinosaur on my pencil…who loved you.
Nothing wrong with female names…
How about Suze?
NO SUZE. Graaagh. No female names.
Jody> I LIKE Akamaru, if only because it’s pseudo-Jappy-anime-cool, which will lend an air of coolness to my general being.
I dunno why I just immediately thought of Lenny (even though I don’t like the name) when I saw your lizard. Ha.
Gordon sounds pretty good too. Or Bob. Bob’s just a nice name for almost any inanimate object. :)
Speaking of which - I still haven’t named my camera! Oh the travesty.
Gordon…Hmm. Good. I’d better pick a name fast, because my gecko’s quickly becoming a Mariela.