r u a rock star?

Answer: To find out if Mrs. Linklater was a rock star. Question: Why did the dirt biker IM you this morning? 

Mrs. Linklater can't emphasize enough the importance of careful reading.  And not making assumptions.

This morning she was IM'd by a dirt biker who saw her picture posted at AOL Music Talk -- http://music.channel.aol.com/musictalk/main.adp -- one of these days Mrs. Linklater will read the instructions on how to do journal links. 

"r u a rock star? it says so at AOL."  Needless to say, Mrs. Linklater was confused. She can't sing on key.  She doesn't have roadies. And her drug supply is limited to Arthritis Tylenol.

Deciding it was a porn IM, Mrs. Linklater blew it off. Meanwhile, she checked Music Talk.

They had contacted her earlier in the week about posting her johnscalzi celebrity encounter.

She didn't realize that her way flattering picture [the one above] had already been posted, along with a link to her story about the near food fight she had with Don Henley in produce years ago. She's been asked by the editors at AOL for her picture before and nothing has ever come of it.  Surprise. .

But the caption didn't say Mrs. Linklater was a rock star; it said she had met a rock star.  Big dif.

So when a second IM came though with the same screen name, Mrs. L decided to chat with him. She just assumed was some guy with a reading disability.

After all, HIS screen name had dirt biker in it. HE also said he thought she looked like she was in her thirities.  LOL  [Easy mistake if you squint at Mrs. Linklater's picture from across the room.].

Must be someone really young. Are you in high school? Mrs. L IM'd, still thinking she was talking to a boy.

Nope.  Middle school. Turns out Mrs. Linklater's assumptions weren't just off, they were way off. She was IMing with a sixth grade girl. Who thought Mrs. Linklater was a rock star because she had read the caption wrong.  .

Cut her some slack and she's a cool kid. She's already an experienced dirt biker whose dad is getting her a new ride soon. She wants to grow up be a vet or an actor, even though she can't be in any plays yet, because her school won't let the sixth graders participate. She's got three dogs, a hamster and a fish, and she's really good at math -- in an advanced class already. She also has an eight year old sister who has a lemonade stand. 

And she was very impressed with how fast Mrs. Linklater could type.

After about 1/2 hour of chatting, she got called to breakfast.

Mrs. Linklater realized she could be her grandmother. 

Excellent.