Random Thoughts Thread

[smokymountainrain]

As with most things internet-related, I'll assume I'm the last here to have seen this, but the jerryoftheday site on Instagram, featuring spectacular crashes and failures by skiiers (H2O and snow), snowboarders, mountain bikers and skateboarders, is very entertaining. No deaths or serious injuries, but still not for the faint of heart. I hope today's entry wasn't our own mtnbkr.

i follow two or three of those accounts and they are always good for a good smile. kidsgettinghurt is particularly fun. they never get hurt badly so it's just good, wholesome, entertainment.

[mtnbiker]

As with most things internet-related, I'll assume I'm the last here to have seen this, but the jerryoftheday site on Instagram, featuring spectacular crashes and failures by skiiers (H2O and snow), snowboarders, mountain bikers and skateboarders, is very entertaining. No deaths or serious injuries, but still not for the faint of heart. I hope today's entry wasn't our own mtnbkr.

Not me, but I've done something very similar and came straight down on my head. Broke my helmet, broke a shifter, cracked a bone in my hand.

Ah, for the good old days.

[Clark Addison]

Over the last couple of days, I have been a silent participant of an email conversation with about a dozen emails. The subject of the email is a woman in the ward who needs assistance in several ways. Her lawn needs mowing, she has some health issues, her dog bit a ward member. I think we have all been in wards with someone like her. There is one thing that is unusual about this conversation though. These people live almost 3,000 miles away from me in Corvallis, OR (a place I have never been) and I have never heard of a single one of the people on the email or discussed in the email.

You may be saying to yourself "Clark, why didn't you immediately recuse yourself from a conversation of sensitive information to which you clearly do not belong?" In my defense, the original emailer has a name that is very similar to our EQ secretary's (same first name, last name one letter off), who we will call "Mike". So when I saw an email from Mike with the subject of "Lawn Mowing for XXXX XXXXXX", I assumed it was a typical service solicitation. I even was about to reply saying I would be happy to help when I noticed that the service was to be performed in Corvallis. This did not immediately set off any major alarms, because earlier in the email, Mike had indicated that he became aware of this need through the daughter of the sister needing service. Also I was skimming with half a brain. In that half a brain, I assumed that the daughter was a member of my ward who I did not know, maybe a new member? And Mike was helpfully informing some folks in her mother's ward about a ward member in need. I also wondered briefly why I was included, and thought that maybe I was the ministering brother of the newly moved in daughter? The fact that I did not know this and had to be notified via this method was uncomfortable, so I stopped thinking about it.

Anyway, the emails kept coming, and I kept skimming them. Then, about 30 minutes ago, I realized that with the exception of Mike, I had not recognized a single name of senders of emails, or of people mentioned within. A count that by this point was over ten individuals. So I expanded the complete distribution, and noticed that not only was Mike the only person on the list that I knew, but that I also did not know him. So there are two issues.

1. What do I do now to remove myself from the conversation? But we know that this isn't really an issue as it would be too embarrassing at this point to mention, so I will just remain silent in the background, deleting the emails as they arrive
2. More importantly, how on earth did I get on this list? My email address is firstname.lastname@gmail.com. As some of you know, I don't have a common name. In fact, according to the "How Many of Me" website, linked below, I am unique in the United States. As said, I do not know any of these people. While I have lived in Oregon, it was Portland, not Corvallis, and it was 25 years ago. This may keep me up tonight.

Anyway, if Clack or SteelBlue or Piney wants to drive a few hours and mow someone's lawn and possibly get bitten by a dog (I think that will seal it for Piney), hit me up and I'll forward the info. Tell Mike I sent you.


http://howmanyofme.com/

[myboynoah]

Over the last couple of days, I have been a silent participant of an email conversation with about a dozen emails. The subject of the email is a woman in the ward who needs assistance in several ways. Her lawn needs mowing, she has some health issues, her dog bit a ward member. I think we have all been in wards with someone like here. There is one thing that is unusual about this conversation though. These people live almost 3,000 miles away from me in Corvallis, OR (a place I have never been) and I have never heard of a single one of the people on the email or discussed in the email.

You may be saying to yourself "Clark, why didn't you immediately recuse yourself from a conversation of sensitive information to which you clearly do not belong?" In my defense, the original emailer has a name that is very similar to our EQ secretary's (same first name, last name one letter off), who we will call "Mike". So when I saw an email from Mike with the subject of "Lawn Mowing for XXXX XXXXXX", I assumed it was a typical service solicitation. I even was about to reply saying I would be happy to help when I noticed that the service was to be performed in Corvallis. This did not immediately set off any alarms, because earlier in the email, Mike had indicated that he became aware of this need through the daughter of the sister needing service. Also I was skimming with half a brain. In that half a brain, I assumed that the daughter was a member of the ward who I did not know, maybe a new member? And Mike was helpfully informing some folks in her mother's ward about a ward member in need. I also wondered briefly why I was included, and thought that maybe I was the ministering brother of the newly moved in daughter? The fact that I did not know this and had to be notified via this method was uncomfortable, so I stopped thinking about it.

Anyway, the emails kept coming, and I kept skimming them. Then, about 30 minutes ago, I realized that with the exception of Mike, I had not recognized a single name of senders of emails, or of people mentioned within. A count that by this point was over ten individuals. So I expanded the complete distribution, and noticed that not only was Mike the only person on the list that I knew, but also that it wasn't "my" Mike. So there are two issues.

1. What do I do now to remove myself from the conversation? But we know that this isn't really an issue as it would be too embarrassing at this point to mention, so I will just remain silent in the background, deleting the emails as they arrive
2. More importantly, how on earth did I get on this list? My email address is firstname.lastname@gmail.com. As some of you know, I don't have a common name. In fact, according to the "How Many of Me" website, linked below, I am unique in the United States. As said, I do not know any of these people. While I have lived in Oregon, it was Portland, not Corvallis, and it was 25 years ago. This may keep me up tonight.

Anyway, if Clack or SteelBlue or Piney wants to drive a few hours and mow someone's lawn and possibly get bitten by a dog (I think that will seal it for Piney), hit me up and I'll forward the info. Tell Mike I sent you.


http://howmanyofme.com/

I don't know the answer to that question, but this can't be just coincidence. Think Thomas S. Monson levels of acting in this situation. Have fun!

[Joe Public]

You can easily get out of the conversation if you want. “I just checked this email account and noticed . . .”

[beefytee]

I love Clark's stories. They are the best.

I went and checked out howmanyofme.com. I too and the one and only.

There are 23,000 (or so) people in the U.S. with that first name.
There are 7,000 (or so) people in the U.S. with that last name.

There are 1 or fewer people in the U.S. with that name combination.
We have information on both names, but chances are low that someone has this combination of names.

I also hadn't googled my name in a long time. I find nothing. On Facebook, it looks like there is a rabbit with a similar name, but that is it.

[Donuthole]

As some of you know, I don't have a common name. In fact, according to the "How Many of Me" website, linked below, I am unique in the United States.

Sounds amazing. I'm betting I'm in the top 3 on our little message board for "Most of Me" in the US. Hell, I'm probably #1.

[Scott R Nelson]

Over the last couple of days, I have been a silent participant of an email conversation with about a dozen emails.

If you're on gmail, just mark them as spam and pretty soon you won't see them.

How Many of Me says 1391 for me. I think that's low because there appear to be several in every city that I've lived in. It's one reason why I regularly use a middle initial.

[mtnbiker]

Sounds amazing. I'm betting I'm in the top 3 on our little message board for "Most of Me" in the US. Hell, I'm probably #1.

Could be. In fact, I believe my son has the same name as you. Middle name is different, though.

[Lost Student]

Over the last couple of days, I have been a silent participant of an email conversation with about a dozen emails.

. . .

http://howmanyofme.com/

Something similar happened to me a few years ago. I got an email about giving a talk in church from a name I did not recognize. Then I looked closer and saw it was for a ward in California.

The spelling of my last name is not common and it turned out she was trying to reach my cousin and somehow a random mistype sent her email to me. I was glad that I didn't have to give a talk.

[Joe Public]

Sounds amazing. I'm betting I'm in the top 3 on our little message board for "Most of Me" in the US. Hell, I'm probably #1.

I would be in that top three as well. It’s nice that it’s harder than average for someone to Google-stalk us.

[Clark Addison]

Sounds amazing. I'm betting I'm in the top 3 on our little message board for "Most of Me" in the US. Hell, I'm probably #1.

I tried a bunch, and so far you are #1, though I know I am forgetting some.

For my part, I will say it is nice to always get the exact email address you want.

[BigPiney]

It is a lie. It says I am the only one, but I am Facebook friends with a realtor in Ohio with the same name. I do think there are only two of us.

[wapiti]

I tried a bunch, and so far you are #1, though I know I am forgetting some.

For my part, I will say it is nice to always get the exact email address you want.

There are 5000+ of me.

[wapiti]

I tried a bunch, and so far you are #1, though I know I am forgetting some.

For my part, I will say it is nice to always get the exact email address you want.

There are 5000+ of me.