Having fun with Google alerts

Have you ever Googled yourself? Come on. Admit it. You have, right?

I went one step further and set up a Google alert on myself, back when my book was first published. I’m pretty sure a lot of authors do this, or maybe I’m just ridiculously vain — but either way, I like to be alerted whenever someone posts a review of my book. Since I had no experience with Google alerts, I didn’t realize I’d get an email every darn day. Sometimes I get articles that feature Angela Brown from Campbell University because apparently Google thinks that what I wanted. Well, okay stupid Google. Okay.

I also get a lot of alerts about Angela Campbell every darn day because apparently Angela Campbell is one of the most common names in the universe. Who knew? Yeah, I probably should have, considering when I was in high school, I would always get deliveries meant for the other Angela Campbell — the one who was a couple of grades lower and in band and who was apparently in the hospital for a few weeks one time, judging by the number of “Get Well” cards I received from my teachers and classmates — nevermind I had actually been in class the entire time I was supposedly in the hospital. It’s so nice to be noticed. Sigh.

Seriously, there are far too many Angela Campbells running amok in the world.

There’s Angela Campbell, the lawyer crusading for civil rights and kicking butt while doing it (Psst. She’s my favorite).

There’s also Angela Campbell, public librarian.

Angela Campbell, special ed teacher.

Angela Campbell, professor.

Angela Campbell, architect.

Angela Campbell, graphic designer.

Angela Campbell, another writer. It seems I have some competition coming up in the world which could become very confusing for our readers someday.I will say, her poetry is very good too.

Angela Campbell, you name it.

And yes, there’s even Angela Campbell, the crack addict who was arrested for public intoxication and possession. Meh. There’s always a bad apple in the bunch, isn’t there?

I actually enjoy opening my email each day and seeing those alerts, because I like to live vicariously through The Others every now and then (except the crack ho — I got enough problems, thank you very much). I’m sure somewhere in the world there is, as there is in my mind, an Angela Campbell, crusading lawyer who is a special ed teacher by night, architect in her spare time, and possibly a secret vigilante who wears spandex and really cool thigh-high boots when she’s beating up riff-raff on the streets. And she looks AWESOME — like, Mila Kunis awesome, y’all.

But I digress.

If you haven’t ever Googled yourself (bahahaha…er, um, right) then go ahead and give it a try. At the least it’s highly amusing, and the most, it will make you strive to be the best Whatever Your Name Is out there.