Wednesday, August 04, 2004

The Joke is on Me???

Now that the scare with my mother has subsided, (At least I hope so. She is home from the hospital and sounds good.) I thought I'd share something that occurred last week.

When I was highlighted on the Finance Page, I had been warned that I would receive an overload of emails and comments. I was even warned by some caring journalers that I'd have pervs coming out of the woodwork. I received a few emails and comments from some new people and was even told that I was in someone's dreams in triplicate. However, nothing really over the top occurred. I felt like I braced myself for nothing. I had concerns that maybe I was a disappointment to AOL because my entry didn't create any additional traffic for the journaling community. I began having doubts about my desirability. I thought maybe the rumor that guys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses really was true. 

Then I received an email from The Finance Queen that I was being considered for the AOL Welcome Page. But, she said it wasn't certain. When I woke up on Friday and didn't see my image on the screen, I figured that real news was much more important than me. I thought maybe it was the option for my screen that I chose so I flipped through the other options but nothing was there. I began reading journals and a comment came in on my "Money" entry, then another. So, I went to the Finance page. I was still linked there. So, I figured that was where the activity was coming from.

Shortly thereafter, an email arrived from Freee saying that she saw me on the Welcome Screen. I thought maybe they had put me up but then changed their minds and took me back down shortlyafter that and her cache needed refreshing. But, I really didn't have time to think about it or ask her anything. I needed to get ready for work.

If I have time, I check my email a couple of times during the day at work. I logged on later in the morning and there was umpteen alerts filling my box and quite a few emails. Two journalers were even so kind to send me the screen capture of the Welcome Page. (Thank you Ryanagi and Slomo!)

I am on dial-up. Apparently, the Welcome Screen for dial-up and broadband are different. I was indeed being featured and the alerts came pouring in. I couldn't shut off my comments alert and by the end of the day I had nearly 200 emails and alerts filling my box. It's amazing how many people want to dream about winning two million dollars. Really, it's wonderful and interesting to see what people would do with the money. I haven't even been able to read through all of the comments in detail. I was only able to skim through most of them and answer a few so far. It has been quite overwhelming. 

If anyone is still coming around here as a result of the Welcome Screen highlight, I want to thank you for taking the time to comment. If you have a journal, please leave your link. There is just too many screen names for me to try to track your journals down.

All of this got me to thinking. Was my mom really paying AOL? Then, I thought it couldn't be so. After all, she had her hands full last week, as I well know. I pondered it some more. That's when I realized that AOL has a sense of humor. "They" saw the joke I made about the "People Connection" highlight where in my attempt to be humorous wrote that by morning I would be on the Welcome Screen. They decided to run with my joke and trump my bluff. Now, I'm just hoping that I won't turn the next corner on my way to work and see my face plastered on a billboard. (Attention AOL: If you do, please tell me. I'll figure a way to pimp it here without itseeming too obvious. How did I do this time? Also, I don't take Sunset Blvd. anymore.) ;-)

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17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Goodness, Robbie, you ARE the "journal 'ho!"  (LOL!)  I guess your status will be climbing on that list (the name of which escapes me at the moment) that rates us according to the activity on our journals!  Seriously---you deserve the attention!  Lisa  :-]  

Anonymous said...

Oh! I must have missed you on the welcome screen. I have broadband. I usually read the whole welcome screen but I was so busy this week that I didn't. I'll have to check when I get off later. How nice.....Congratulations. : )

Anonymous said...

Dag gone!  I have dial up too!  I would have loved to see it.  
Mary

Anonymous said...

When it rains, it pours...Congrats on all the features!

Anonymous said...

wooo thats great! No wonder I didn't see it since I have dial up too :(

Anonymous said...

Well, this makes me wish even more that I had broadband.  

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your spotlighted features!  Yep, the Welcome screen is different for Broadband.  I have dialup too.
Love ya, Penny

Anonymous said...

Hey, Robbie! Just poking my head in ...

Congrats on all of your features throughout AOL. (I think it's the glasses. Men like 'em. Especially if you wear them low on your nose and give them the "come hither" look. Heh. No, really.)

I like what you've done with the place. Oh, and be sure to post your billboard advertisement, will you? :-P

Anonymous said...

LOL.  It seems to be a scary place in aol, being featured that is.   You could never be a disappointment by the way!  I always love what you have to say. :)

Anonymous said...

I have dial up so I missed this!
Congrats Robbie!!!!
Yay for you!!!
Love ya,
Connie

Anonymous said...

You rock and you deserve it!!!
I am on there yesterday and today...and I have had a few bad apples, but tons more support.  :)  Luckily I had a really great photo game that Angel started going on at the time, and the game really took off.  
I love that our journals are hitting the big time, and bringing way more recognition to the AOL J-Land community!!!
You are an AOL celeb - enjoy :)

Danielle

Anonymous said...

Folks in finance should wear glasses. It gives us a certain aura. You know, the one where other people think we know stuff they don't.

Your face makes me feel welcome. I'm sorry I missed it.

Anonymous said...

Robbie, That`s Great...I`m glad you were able to save a copy.
V

Anonymous said...

Another Dial-Upper here, sorry I missed it.  Maybe they're priming you to be the female Scalzi?  Pretty amazing all the action you're getting.  Better start preparing HW assignments involving cute Pet stories (tied in with finance somehow?)...  --Albert

Anonymous said...

Oh no!  I'm dial-up, out of the loop and missed it again!  Congratulations on all you honors!!  

Lately I've been going straight to my 'alerts' and journey from there, so I never see the editors' picks or welcome screen unless they show up in my 'Faves', & even then I'm so behind they've changed by the time I get there. I'm sorry for that.

So Belated Bravas!  Just goes to show you're one of everybody's faves!   :)

Anonymous said...

I too, caught up your stint on the Welcome screen and thought to myself, uh oh, I hope Robbie is ready for the onslaught of comments.  Another journalers was also highlighted regarding her weight loss journal a few months back and I know she received close to 300 comments and I believe a few marriage proposals [heh, wait till your Mom hears about that!].

Congrats on the feature!  You're a journal superstar!

Anonymous said...

LOL - nice one with the billboard comment!  You go girl.