Announcement, Coupled with a Little Theory

Ich unterhalte mich lieber mit Fremden
als mit 1/2 guten Freunden.
Denn da kann ich sagen, was ich will
ohne daß ich Konsequenzen fürchten muß

(I prefer talking to strangers
to talking with semi-good friends
Because then I can say what I like
without having to fear consequences)

Tomte, "Pflügen"

Before I started the blog, I decided to do it anonymously because I wanted to be able to write stuff that might hurt my career if I wrote under my real name. I don't think that I have actually written anything like that so far. There is another aspect to this, however.

Through blogging, and reading blogs, and commenting there, I have made what you might call "Internet acquaintances". The bit from Tomte quoted above contains what I think is a correct psychological insight: You can tell strangers stuff that might offend them or that you find personal because, well, they're strangers, and what do you care about their opinion? You can tell friends, because, well, they're your friends, and even if they disagree with you or think that you've done something awful, or you tell them something of a very personal nature, they're going to stick with you and you are comfortable telling them - that's almost the definition of friends. With acquaintances it's different: They're neither close nor distant enough to let them know everything.

This little social psychology theory is my way of saying that there won't be any new posts before next week's Wednesday, and blogging will be light for a fortnight after that because I'll be in the hospital, but I'm not going to tell you why. This, among other things, means that I'll fall behind Lolita-wise, but I almost promise that I'll eventually cover the book in full. (I hope to read some of it in the hospital.)

I hope that in the meantime you, my Internet acquaintances (you know who you are), will keep up the good work at your own blogs. "See" you soon.