When we got back from Carlsbad, I spent a half day catching up on diaries. And I encountered this new thing that Andrew has given us, the diary ring.

Wow. I had always wanted a way to browse for new diaries without limiting myself to those recently updated.

But then the immediate question was: do I join one? Or any?

Where would I fit?

It didn't take too long to figure out that I was unique on diaryland. (Yes, I know we all are, but I think I'm more so.) Of my five favorite musical groups, I am the only person listed for two. Now Colcannon I can understand, they're local for pretty much just two cities near here, but surely someone in northeast North America likes Rawlins Cross?

While pondering this entry on the road this morning, as many are pondered and mentally drafted, it occurred to me that the distribution of folks who have heard of and like Colcannon is really quite similar to the distribution of CWD, or Chronic Wasting Disease. ("Mad deer disease" for those of you who get your "news" from Fox "News" rather than a news source.) Coincidence???

Anyway, one of my other music favorites, Harry Chapin, has only one other diary listed, and that diary has been extinct for over a year with only one entry. My remaining two musical favorites have only 7 and 36 diaries listed, hardly mainstream.

Movies are just as bad. Two where I am the lone fan. Two others with a whopping 4 and 8 fans. My only mainstream passion is The Matrix, which has had more than 100 fans listed just since I joined in.

Favorite Authors I knew would be extreme. Don't have many, guess I don't read enough. Nobody else reads who I favor, but that doesn't surprise me.

I would like to ask Andrew to check, but I suspect (or feel, anyway) that I am the oldest active diarist on Diaryland. A generation removed from so many of you. I feel like the internet cops are looking over my shoulder as a potential pedophile every time I stumble onto a teenager's diary. I wouldn't feel comfortable listing any of them on my buddy list.

I only have five fans. Four are listed, and I know of one other. I treasure each one and fear someday I'll say something to turn each of them away.

Are there any other wildlife biologists on diaryland? Not that I've found. At least not ones working in the profession.

How about folks that live in a town of less than 500 people?

I don't think so.

How many diarists out there own heelers? Red ones (they are different from the blues). It's not just the color.

How many diarists out there know the difference between "your" and "you're." Damn few from what I can see. No wonder they say the education system in this country sucks. I could go on about this pet peeve for hours, but I will spare you if you've managed to last this far.

Anyway, yesterday I went through the diary rings. All of them. Of course I can belong to Andrew's Diaryland diaryring. Thank you, Andrew.

I also have a right to belong to the redheads ring, although I haven't been accepted yet. Does it count against you if it's half grey? Or if you're male?

Thank gblvr for the trekfans ring. I fit there (although my diary may not).

I think my life would qualify for mocksie's only in my life ring, but would my html?

Naturally the ring links from the two rings I joined looked horrid on my page. So I spent hours fixing them (and a glitch in Andrew's html). I saw another diary with eight or nine ring links. Didn't look good.

Now, do I have any rings I could host? Any that anyone else would join?