On the Internet nobody knows you're a rank amateur

There's a famous New Yorker cartoon with the tag line: "On the Internet nobody knows you're a dog."

Well turns out they don't know you're a rank amateur either. Yesterday I wrote about Wyden's new healthcare plan. Today I find out that my blog is linked to from Stand Tall for America, which I have to figure is his "campaign" site. Or something like that. The list of bloggers referenced includes David Sirota and Ezra Klein, ie, real writers. And then me. It's just more than a little funny to think of people stumbling by this place expecting trenchant analysis (which, I myself stumble into, I guess) and finding some combination of rants, raves and ridiculous nothings. It's fun, though. Even as I realize it's the product of Technorati or some other crawler, it's somewhat flattering to think my words warrant republication and broadcast by someone. It's like those rare moments when a friend tells me, "I always remember you saying 'INSERT HERE.'" The idea that something I've said or written is worthy of commiting to memory or passing along to another person is still strange to me, but almost intoxicatingly pleasant. It's appealing to think that every so often what I think or say is of value to others, and not just as a way of self-congratulations and self-expression.