Friday, March 26, 2010

fly chowder?

Earlier this week, Alan, mentioned that posting a blog about blogging is a form of
omphaloskepsis (how's that for a word?) or navel-gazing, and potentially a boring
read. Blogging in itself is a tad on the egocentric side, is it not? I happen to enjoy
reading posts about blogging, since it's one of my major interests. Does that mean
I enjoy navel-gazing? Of course I do. I knew you would, too.

You've probably noticed I've given in, and joined the majority of bloggers who
have switched on their word verifications. I did it last week, since I was on the
road, and couldn't screen out the Viagra spam every five minutes several times
a day. I'll have to admit, it is nice. I think I'll leave it on for a while.

While being a tad inconvenient, it certainly is entertaining. Blogger is evolving
into an intelligent life form. I am amazed at how many times the word
verification includes my real name, preceded by "uni" or "un" or followed by
an occasional "ly".



Depending on Blogger's mood, it has been known to compliment my best comments with pressive, coolest, or crici. On the other hand, it tosses me just as many insults, like citicow, lowdfool, squat, or rejejune. Betsy happened to leave a comment on yesterday's "blogger house" post about her blogger weight gain, and the verification was taters. What kind of synchronicity is that? After reading a soup recipe post, I was requested to type flycowder. I kid you not.

Last week, when I felt uneasy about what sort of comment to leave, on a particularly touchy subject, the verification was awkworo. So, does this all-knowing Blogger also have the ability to look deep into my sowel (that's word verification for soul, by the way) and know how I feel, as I leave comments?
.
The most intriguing of all, have been joyodep and sewoollie. How can it possibly know the Deppster and I are doppelgangers, and that I am nutty about my woolly socks? I'll leave you now, to contemplate.


Dee-dum-dee-dum-dee-dee-dum-tee-dum. (That's the Hitchcock theme in case you didn't recognize it.)

(photo borrowed from Google images)

64 comments:

  1. Oh clever you (and clever blogger) - I need to start paying more attention!

    (Oh, and LOVE your new look!)

    (Blogger says your new look is gretio - that's word verification for great. Or gratitude - for fixing it up so nicely?)

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  2. Word verifications bug me (pun intended). They fly in the face of simplicity, but are needed to swat out the bloggy spam.

    After getting some Chinese blog spam last summer, I switched word verification on. Then, after it slowed down, I took it off again.

    The serendipity of word verifications, though, can be mind bottling. (yes, I meant that!)
    :)

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  3. Okay, now that I got that out of the way I can concentrate. Personally the wv bugs the crap out of me, but I don't get too much viagra spam. If that happens I'll probably turn it back on.
    I do think it's ironic (and a bit bizarre) that Blogger knows how we feel about certain subjects and will have wvs that mimic our thoughts. Have you been to Balderdash? Its one of the blogs I'm a co-author on (although I haven't posted in ages). Anyway it's about all the crazy wvs we get and their potential meanings...

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  4. I don't really have anything to say on this. I just wanted to comment to see what kind of word I get! Ohhhh, "compr"! Pretty poor spelling, I'd say.

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  5. After reading Terresa's post here, I am wondering if the comment I got the other day that came in Chinese language, was legit! I used the Google Translator and it sounded valid so I posted it but...who knows! Any thoughts? I have been following the wv's for awhile but haven't written any of them down but meant to. Sometimes they are really hilarious!

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  6. me too. wanted to see my word. cabilate.!

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  7. Maybe the word verification is like those Magic 8 Balls where different words floated into view when one asked a question... Or a Ouija board.

    My word this time is opure which I am sure refers to the state of my heart.

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  8. Love your new cowor scheme. Everything looks cwean and cwrisp over here....

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  9. i get a hoot out of 'em , too, but of course you've put intelligently into words what the rest of us are thinking...and if i come across a fun w.v, i always like to end my comment with it...people probably think i've lost it! dingl

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  10. Oh Willow -- there's is a fly in my soup --
    Willow said --sorry we are all out of turtle soup

    I have word verification on --my blog-- interesting stuff-- a magpie post I did with a disclaimer this is a magpie tale pure fiction for writers and poets having fun..they didn't leave a comment instead they took my domain name and placed it in front of they domain name and did a post referring back to me and the magpie tale -- interesting if only they and their followers could read -- they treated like it was a true story and ran with it -- totally (發笑)= Chinese meaning amusing..

    Joanny

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  11. Often, I swear that word verification is some kind of Artifical Intelligence. I was making a comment on a blog post about massage and the word ver was: redlite. Hmmm...

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  12. Funny you should mention word verification, as I was having this discussion with another blogger today. She seems to feel that blog owner approval is enough to screen potential abusers, and while it's certainly good for that, it's not so good for weeding out spam, as you pointed out. She was trying to persuade me to choose one or the other, but I was having none of it. I have enough to do in my day without having to wade through tons of spam directed at my blog. Word verification is here to stay for me.

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  13. I've been amazed at the complexities of words that word verifications have asked me to retype. Often I find myself looking them up thinking..."that can't be a word!"

    I also laugh at the ones that make you type two words. They often have quite the funny combination of words.

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  14. I've seen this topic pop up on several blogs this week. Even started a post on it of my own but because I like to do things in threes, I'm waiting for the third little blog related item. I don't use it yet as the spammers only occasionally use me.

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  15. The cool thing about blogging is we write what the heck we want. I doubt that anything on this blog could ever under the heading of boring. The reason is the way you write. You have a certain style and you are a good writer. Always interesting.

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  16. I tried to start a hashtag for wv words on Twitter, which I called #wordverificationlexicon. At the time, no one shared my fascination. Thank you, Willow, for flushing out all these other wv believers.
    @VickiLane, I have had Opure before. But today I have Feurbor, which must be its sister.

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  17. nice. i am not a fan of word verification, but it does make some rather funny and intersting points at times...

    sioldeg - see its mixing it english and spanish and calling me rude names now because i spoke harshly of it.

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  18. Glad you clarified the Hitchcock theme...I started humming the Jeopardy one. ha.

    I have always thought blogger word verification was a big brother of sorts...or at least psychic!

    And I kid you not,...this time the verification is 'urminde'. Yes, my mind...is what it's reading! LOL!

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  19. Oh, for a minute there I thought you were going to give us a new recipe with that image. Too funny. I love reading the word verifications--you're right; they're somewhat of a pain in the neck, but I find it really cuts down on getting any spam. Mine here is bacomit.

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  20. Wonders if wv is related to the same project at UCLA re Random Generator Machines whereby the supercomputers collect random data and determine when the next 911 will happen, or other disaster, etc. Apparently it works! Artificial Intelligence IS scary, especially when AI or wv apriori's your next move. Who is the computer and who is the human? (play dummdadummdumdummmm). Yes I remember that pickle jar from Twilight Zone episode, and subconsciously so does Ms Super computer! Yikes!I am certain that wv is trying to insult my intelligence when I get words relating to semi-sexist remarks or dingli. Now dingli sounds like I'm a dingo dog. My brain does not like this, not at all!Now I get a "reblessi" because I mentioned Easter today? I am in the company of AI angels? Let us pray...prey?(ooohooohoooo)...

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  21. Word veri makes me chuckle! As you said, it is so often appropriate!

    WV here is talin; add a 't' and you've 'talint', near enough to talent; plenty of it here!

    Love the new template!

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  22. Well quite an interesting discussion. my word is voreci, voice it in Latin, I think. I hear all kind of comments on why people blog and how egocentric it is yet they don't know anything about it and are on facebook. Go figure.
    QMM

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  23. I've got "psychip". Which seems to prove your case.

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  24. I'm always intrigued, too, by the seeming synchronicity of the word verifications. I hate to have to do them, though.

    Verification here: lower (as in the verb pronounced "lauer"?

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  25. well everyday there is more and more and more to enlighten us here in the blogosphere ... you may be onto something with the Verification....right now "sesses" have me

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  26. In one movie they showed a miser suck the tea out of a dead fly that died on it.It is disgusting.

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  27. I hope it does not happen to anyone.

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  28. Love the new Spring colour here!!
    Wonderful choice.

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  29. each post always you, always new--btw love the new look

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  30. I would imagine Blogger reads your mind, and sentiment, throwing up words accordingly :-)

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  31. I thought I was the only person reflecting on the oddity of my comment and word verification. Something very odd is going on.

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  32. Like you I find the whole wv thing a little irkesome (your theory is correct Willow my wv here is irkintat!!). Viagra has a lot to answer for.
    Millie ^_^

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  33. Oh yes and your word verification for this post is "potod" so very interesting...LOL. The fly on the chowder is brought me right into this post clever girl.

    I love your new look, only I do not associate you with beige, I liked your background black and dramatic like the manor.

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  34. Blogging about blogging is like writing a poem about writing poetry - which has a long and distinguished history. Nothing wrong with it at all!

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  35. Maybe my blog is the last bastion of non-verification now.

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  36. Hello Willow,

    WV seems to be a necessary evil. A couple of blogs I visit are riddled with spam comments. I wouldn't have the patience to filter them out continuously.

    And I agree, WV can be most appropriate on occasion. Today's is 'outerser'!

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  37. Well, all I can say is this blog isn't for the 'PALIES'(word verif)...
    we like to get to the meat of it...even if it's fly chowder!!!

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  38. Yoli, you are right. I am SO not beige. I'm already thinking of changing it! ;^)

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  39. This is all to heavy for me today.
    On a lighter side...
    Is that fly doing the backstroke in your soup?

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  40. Word veri is part of the game of blogging. I don't mind. It can serve as a divination tool as well, as you mentioned.

    I don't see blogging as egocentric and have always been kind of curious that this is such a popular interpretation. When you have a cup of tea with a friend, is that egocentric?

    I see blogging as a way of making loving connections with people I would not otherwise have any way of knowing. To me, blogging is generous.

    Writing blogs about blogging? What's wrong with that?

    Navel gazing implies that no one else is a part of the loop. But with blogging, we include anyone who cares to step in.

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  41. I have had some interesting encounters with wv, too. Should have written them down, because they've escaped my mind now. I don't have wv yet. I get spam, but they all go to my very first post, so I don't worry about them. Probably should go delete, but it's so far back. I'm completely puzzled with my wv here today...puptasib. Any insight? Are you getting a dog, cause I know we're not : )

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  42. I had the same suspicion lately:
    Word verification is reading our blogs.
    Our mind too.
    *help*

    *smile*

    Funny thing is that I am sure once upon a time word verification could only be read after one pushed "publish" - it then showed up with a vengeance, er, word. Mine today is "cloye" - how sweet is that?
    Well, word veri shoved one more word into my face: "colvasta" - *giggles*
    Oh no: "slymm"

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  43. Newt comment, next word veri:
    dampe!

    What the dickens?

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  44. Newt comment, next word veri:
    dampe!

    What the dickens?
    No kidding: Even though I typed the first one right (yes!), a second one followed, "fluslat" .....

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  45. Taters!

    "Blogging in itself is a tad on the egocentric side, is it not?"
    Yes, I completely agree!


    I like your new look btw.

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  46. I didn't leave a comment until I found a word verification that I liked--it is unceles. After several tries, I decided that would be the least objectionable alphabet soup to type. As they say, way too much time on my hands.

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  47. Intriguing and a little worrying - blogger is gaining a life of its own! I have come across some hilarious ones - will make a note of them in future.

    Like your new look Willow.

    Blogger is saying resti btw!

    Jeanne

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  48. hee hee! this was great, Willow; I've never paid that much attention, although WAS surprised last week when my verification was actually a REAL WORD ~

    " grace "


    It would've only been a simple moment of "hmmm" if I had not been thinking that exact thing at the moment... and so, instead, I sat staring at my screen for long moments, then looking upward and speaking to God -

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  49. I merely said that me blogging about blogging could be boring. You could NEVER be boring Willow.

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  50. I'm switching it on next post.
    Has to be done.

    but it certainly leads to some twilight zone moments s you say.
    or God moments,

    or I've been on the computer too long moments,

    depends.

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  51. You silly Alan, you! Always apologizing for your boring blogs, when they're constantly well written and delightful. One of my daily must reads!

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  52. I much prefer blogging over tweeting. Expressing thoughts in 140 characters? Please. Most wvs make more sense. Well except for the wv for this comment: mippe. What's a mippe?

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  53. I hate word verification but I guess it is a necessary evil. I don't have mine on, though. So far, except for one porn comment - in Japanese, no less ( I used google translator to read it ), I've not been spammed.

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  54. They fly in the face of simplicity, but are needed to swat out the bloggy spam.
    data entry work from home

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  55. Willow, I love this post...I've noticed that about the word verification, too...Yes, blogger has evolved!

    Ha, mine below is 'trockl'..Have no clue what that is supposed to be telling me...LOL!!

    Love the new blog background:)...

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  56. Willow,
    How did blogger know I'd just returned from the Caribbean?
    nipmun

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  57. I love word verification myself. Gives me something to look forward to!:o)

    Today, mine is "reckl", which is kind of how I feel right now.

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  58. The word verification is 'squad' right now... as in I'm part of the Willow - Squad?

    Sometimes wvs can be touching - like when Renee passed away and I left a comment for her daughter, and the word verification was rhene

    Of course that can simply be us putting our own intelligent understanding on to random letters, but it can be nice...

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  59. catempg! That's what it's letting me right now. The cat waiting outside my window to be let in is not impressed.

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  60. I was entering a giveaway and the verification was 'winfula'. I hope that's a sign!

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)