When I learned that there was this thing called The TTLB Blogosphere Ecosystem (that's The Truth Laid Bear), I thought it sounded intriguing and fun and went over to sign up. Bear maps the peaks and valleys, clusters and networks of the blogosphere in different ways -- daily site traffic, number of links from other sites -- and ranks the blogs that volunteer for this scrutiny along an evolutionary scheme ranging from Insignificant Microbes up through Playful Primates and Mortal Humans to Higher Beings.
I copied the Ecosystem code into the proper spot in my blog's backstage, but I was such a mere Multicellular Microorganism at the time that I couldn't figure out why my evolutionary status wasn't displaying. Just the other day, I saw that I hadn't checked its box on my display preferences page (duh), and did so. To my delight, I discovered that I am a Slithering Reptile -- about halfway up the evolutionary scale from ooze to demiurge, that unattainable empyrean where Instapundit and Daily Kos hurl thunderbolts at each other.
I am going to enjoy my eon as a reptile and am in no hurry to move on. I've always had a soft spot for snakes and lizards. It will suit me to flow straight ahead by weaving left and right, change color depending on what I'm sitting on, and just plunk down on a rock and soak up the sun.
-amba
P.S. One of the loveliest things about being a reptile is that you're still lowly enough to slither right under the spammers' and hecklers' radar . . . shhhhhhhh! I have no idea what all these big bloggers are complaining about.
That's darned good for a blogger without name recognition cf. Malkin. Congratulations. I suspect you'll evolve quickly.
Posted by: Dave Schuler | February 01, 2005 at 09:46 AM
Us reptiles have to stick together. Oh wait, we fell back down to amphibians. . .it's so hard to hold the ground!
Posted by: MrProliferation | February 01, 2005 at 10:01 AM
On P. 68 of a book (Letters to a Buddhist Jew)I was reading last night I found this pasage: "The Talmud states that one who fails to bow appropriately during prayer is reincarnated as a serpent."
Now your blog says that you are a SLITHERING REPTILE.
Any connection?
Posted by: Ancient Mariner | February 01, 2005 at 11:43 AM
(Giggle) If I'm slithering "proudly," then I guess I haven't learned my lesson!
Posted by: amba | February 01, 2005 at 07:26 PM
And I thought that Jews shouldn't bow when they pray. Or is it kneel? And, I guess, they probably shouldn't "slither" either. I like the idea of "slithering proudly" though - as long as your head is held high!
Posted by: Tamar | February 02, 2005 at 09:47 AM