Journal Archives

September 2007
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003

Too Much Information...

Sunday May 2, 2004

Welcome to the age of Information. Whether you mean to or not you are absorbing tons of information stimuli everyday. Everywhere you look you are instantly overwhelmed by advertisements, marketing, news, gossip, truths, lies, assumptions, and other forms of information. After a weekend spent with Sam, a man who claims to have his finger on the pulse of the world via the internet, and Gabe, a man who claims nothing more than having the bravery to stop a ceiling fan with his own dome, I have come to realize that perhaps we are receiving Too Much Information.

The wedding I worked at this past weekend is a perfect example. While setting up I was accosted by a verbal nusance who seemingly did not understand two things: 1) I was busy and did not have time to chit chat and 2) I had little to no interest in talking with her anyway. Despite my almost complete disregard of her presence, this unwanted interaction continued to persist through her one-sided banter. Within minutes, perhaps seconds, I knew how old this woman was, where she was from, why she moved to San Francisco, and how her sex life was going. Too Much Information! I didn't even ask the woman a single question and yet fact after fact was being rambled off as if I were taking Annoying Woman 200 as my elective for the semester. Why? Why did she feel the need to give me such details? Is she part of some cult that does confessionals via DJ's and other night entertainment gurus instead of religious heads? Was this better than talking to herself even though I gave her almost no acknowledgement whatsoever? Who can really be certain? Gabe unfortunately took over the post of listening to the ramblings of this poor old wretch once he arrived at this very strange event. And while he took earfull after earfull of useless, disturbing, and worthless information, the toasts at this wedding began. 1.5 hours later the entire guest list of this shotgun wedding costumed in late 17th English garb had had too much information.

Yesterday at the grocery I was feeling a bit saucy. I've actually being feeling quite sassy lately. Must be the weather. Anyway, while checking out I realized the clerk and the bagger had rhyming names, Paul and Saul. As I said I've been feeling a bit sassy so I simply said, "Hey Paul, do you always choose baggers based on their names?" Now perhaps I can be blamed for this scenario since I did infact solicit information with my inquiry. But you never would have seen this response coming, not in a million years. He responded, "I'm impressed you knew the biblical reference." I attempted to explain that I didn't and was simply amused by the rhyming nature of their names, but he continued on, "I didn't know anything about Paul and Saul and still wouldn't to this day if I hadn't..." A moment of panic. I try to make a stupid joke and now I'm stuck with once again, Too Much INFORMATION. He continued, "If I hadn't studied to become a priest." Phew, I thought. A man who studied with the desire to be a priest but instead chose a life without restrictions, a life with....He continued, "I was ex-communicated for being Gay. The cardinal was homosexual, flamming in fact, and he pushed me out for my sexuality." I'm now desperately trying to get my credit card to ring through the system faster to end this conversation. I respond while waiting for my receipt to print, "That's really a damn shame. People who want to help others being pushed out of something they love because of predjudice." And I meant every word of it. But was this conversation necessary? I was just trying to buy some oranges, string cheese, and lunch meats. A bad joke gone wrong results in all this information.

So people, I'm begging you, let's slow down with all the information. A simple dose of sportscenter, email, phone calls with your friends, and of course JeremyRound.com should suffice. Don't tell strangers your life story. They don't want to hear it. Dave Matthews once said, "So much to say." And my response is, "Don't say it."