I am old; I am random

The cats, caught in a rare moment of peace

So, today I finally did that 25 Things Meme that has been plaguing Facebook lately. You know, the one that's been written about in both The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal? Actually, do you know how slow on the uptake I am if the New York Times is on to something before I am? I think it was only last month that they had a columnist decrying the phenomenon of "hooking up" on campuses. Ah, that oh-so-fresh trend of people having casual sex when they're in university.

Anyway, as I was contemplating my own obsolesence, I was also having trouble coming up with twenty five random nuggets of interest. It's not that I don't have any stories, it's just that I have a limited supply of anecdotes, and since my general social strategy is to break the ice with one of them, the stable is getting a little stale. Who among my friends hasn't heard of the time I was going to applying for a job at an adult store, only to walk out with a gift certificate? I eventually came up with the required number of esoteric facts, but it was hard.

Of course, it's hard not to either try and compete with your friends for amusement, honesty, or surprise. Or come to the standard news copy conclusion that it's a little sad viral memes are required for what we used to learn slowly, through actual social interaction and discovery. But, on the other hand it's nice and efficient to be suddenly handed a Cliff's Notes version of the dreams, fears, and ice cream flavour preferences of all of your acquaintances. Now you don't have to risk crossing a border, and asking a question that's just an inch too personal. You just have to deal with the creepy guys who advertise WooMee in the sidebar.