The Teddy-bear is travelling on. I occasionally drop by to see how it's doing, but linking to it induced familiarity I was not quite prepared for. First the owner of the site tracked my email down, which is OK, I don't mind an email with a comment or two. But subsequently I was on a mailing list, where I was notified of the travels of the teddy-bear. Blogger Pro has the option of getting updates to blogs by email. Somehow that feels intrusive to me and is one option I will not use. Emails are like telephone-calls: not quite that urgent, but the medium I use when I want the attention of an other person (one reason why I am at very few email lists). Bloggs are like radio, or the lunch-room: some place I go or tune in when I want to catch news or gossip at my own leisure.

I still like the travelling teddy bear, and I think it can become a fun little diary - I just feel protective about my mail-box. Oh, and for those out there who might not know: Torill is a name made from the names Tor and Hild. In Nordic languages it would never be mistaken for a male name. I know the English-speaking do so, I have more than once been treated as my own secretary by american men who want to talk to Professor Mortensen. That's why I have my middle name on my business-card; my full name is Torill Elvira Mortensen. And I am female. Definitely.