Re: your recent email

I received an email today from an application on my social utility network (Facebook). The email wanted to know if I had finished reading a particular book. The application is one that allows me to display the books I have read or am reading on my profile page. I haven't had a single human being ask me whether or not I have finished reading this book. What does it mean when a system generated email starts making enquiries of me that no real people are making? (And the email seems genuinely interested).

There is a degree to which all of this is just talking to myself. Blogging and social networking are pretend-- sometimes they can become real like the Velveteen Rabbit, but usually it's a lot of throw away germy nonsense.

Just so you know, I will never "finish" reading Anne Stevenson's "Poems 1955-2005". I've never "finished" reading a book of poetry. I rarely read the poems in order and I have no way of knowing that I've read them all until I become so familiar with them that I feel that I could request that the poem be a "friend" on my social utility network.

Thank you system generated application email for asking. You are always so thoughtful.

ps where is the stinking spellcheck? and here's an inappropiate apropos link.