Magicalmonkey and you

Funny thing #1
A friend tells me that last week he stood in front of the mirror at home, pondering a semi-drastic plunge -- shaving his entire head. He figured it wouldn't really be THAT extreme, since his current closely-cropped haircut made him nearly bald, anyway. But he put away his razor, deciding to first contemplate the mechanics and maintenance.

The very next day, he logged on to mm and read the April 9th post. Decision made.

"You guys would never look at me the same way again," he laughed. "And everyone I know does it. My lawyer does it. A lot of my friends do it. I just can't. Not after reading your blog."

Ha!! So mm is now affecting people's actions in the real world? That's funny stuff.

Funny thing #2
It's also amusing -- and flattering -- to see mm references elsewhere in the world. I've noticed the obscure and not-so-obscure comments on your own blogs. A 'superhero' here, an 'innuendo' there....It's fun, it's cool!

Then there are the non-virtual references. Every time a co-worker says or does something a little insane, a mm reader invariably slips by me and asks, "blog post?" And frequently, those "in the know" refer to mm in conversation, all of us getting a giggle that it escapes the notice of others. One of my favorite allusions occurred while playing that gift-swap game at our office Christmas party. My boss pulls me aside and whispers, "See that red package with the big bow in the center? You need to get it....it's PERFECT for you." There was a hitch when someone chose the package before it was my turn. I laughed my head off when she opened it to reveal a crystal monkey. Of course I had to steal it from her.

Funny thing #3
You! I go for months with only occasional feedback about my blog, but the minute I share philosophical wonderings about its purpose and existence.....I get post comments, e-mails, voice mails, and people grabbing me next to the coffee machine at work. Ha!! No one wants me to change a thing. Not one person has said, "You know, Lisa, you might have a point about watching what you say."

Instead, I get the distinct impression I am feeding your inner deviant. And you like it.

Not all comments have been posted on this blog. One friend e-mailed, "Like Popeye said, I yam what I yam. Jezel Pete, I am a m.monkey fan since day 1, even day -1 if that is possible....I cringe a bit sometimes when I read mm. But that's the fun, isn't it?!.....Being under a microscope always affects what you do, but that is no reason not to do it. Be yourself."

My link-deleting bud -- who loves and encourages mm, by the way, and is one of only a handful who has been a faithful reader since the beginning -- e-mailed an intriguing, eloquent analysis which may inspire a future post or two, not only on mm but also her own blog. A small excerpt: "It’s not that we wish to censor our world; we wish to censor how the world sees us.....We get so tired of being told what we should and shouldn’t do, how we should think, what we should be, that most of us learn to fake it and go about our business without another thought. Harmless self defense or a sham that destructs our very civilization and destroys the truth of who we are?"

(Hmmmmm. I'd vote for sham, I think, but not such a destructive one. Maybe one that just tinkers with our individuality a bit.)

Rest easy...
I'll continue to take magicalmonkey on journeys inspired by whatever is on my mind when I am struck with a mood to write. Luckily for you and that inner deviant of yours, aberrant topics seem to percolate in my brain quite often. But please don't be too disappointed if, on some days, I discuss the importance of getting enough fiber in your diet. Or if I get a bit introspective and start quoting my favorite philosophers. Or I share a recipe for a yummilicious fat-free, no-mayo chicken salad.