Robots and Reality: 2011

So I got this email from a stranger today, who thought he was talking to someone named Kara in his family who was helping in preparations for his grandfather's funeral. Being that it was a slow day at work, I couldn't help myself from enjoying it a bit. To my surprise, he sent me a second email, still thinking it was the other girl. Here is the conversation.

Hi Kara,

My mom tells me you're going to give a speech tomorrow of all the grand kids memories of Grandpa. My best memories of Grandpa are at Loon Lake. He would spend all day out on the water driving that orange and white boat around even though he had caught his limit early in the day. Back on shore, he would clean the fish and Grandma would flour and fry them up. Yum. Anyway, it's not a specific memory, but a cumulation of all the good times at the lake.

See you tomorrow.

Michel

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Hello Michel,

Sorry, but I'm not sure who's grandpa you're talking about. He sounds like a great grandpa though! I also regret to inform you that since I am not a member of your family and have no idea the time or place of the meeting, I will not likely be in attendance. I hope no one will be offended if I miss giving that speech, since I have no memories of my own regarding experiences with your grandfather to share. For the purpose of absolute clarity, may I ask your Grandpa's name and the state in which said meeting will be held?

I hope you have a wonderful day. If your grandfather has passed on, I am very sorry for your loss. He sounds a lot like my Grandpa.

God bless, and happy new years,

Kara

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Hey Kara - you'll get a kick out of this email. Memory of Grandpa in my original email.

Michel

*In this email, he forwarded my response back to me. I'm flattered to know he thought it worth mentioning.

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Michel,

I'm still confused and don't plan on seeing you tomorrow...if you really want to talk to me that bad, perhaps you should purchase a plan ticket for me? I could use an extended vacation. I'm assuming there's another Kara you wish to speak to, in which case, she sounds awesome. If she needs a clone for the day, I'm all booked for tomorrow but maybe later. I'll need a bit more advanced notice.

Thank you!

Kara Clones-R-Us

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LOL!!! Wow...how many times can I get that email address wrong?!?! Oh that's funny! Thanks for your replies - we all got a really good laugh out of them.

The memory is for my grandfather's funeral tomorrow in Vancouver, BC. So if you're looking for an extended vacation Vancouver is beautiful this time of year :)

Happy new year and thanks again for the laugh!

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Michel,

I'm glad you enjoyed it. For me, its just a side effect of being a bored engineer due to lack of current projects. I suppose this means I should cancel the doppelganger order? *sigh* very well then. I wish I could have gone, I love Vancouver BC! (I grew up in the Seattle area). But yes, that definitely confirms that he is not, in fact, my grandfather.

Anyways, its been a pleasure to be repeatedly confused for a member of your family! I feel like I fit right in. I'm glad you guys have a sense of humor. Silly things happened when my grandmother passed away, and it helped ease the pain. Kind of felt like she was teasing us, telling us to lighten up, showing us everything would be alright (I think you can tell where I got my sense of humor). Again, I am sorry for your loss.

Wish you all a happy New Years, and enjoy the rest of your vacation!

Your digital substitute Kara,

Kara 2.0

This is a one-of-a-kind model that cannot be duplicated. And yes, we are aware of the irony, considering its a clone.

I just wanted to post pictures of the house so someone looking into renting my rooms could get a good look at it. Its gorgeous!!! Excuse the random order...

Here's a repeat of the listing posted in Craigslist:

My roommate and I are looking for 1 or 2 responsible, kind, clean, female roommates with high standards to fill empty bedrooms in our beautiful home. No drugs/drinking/inappropriate relations and sadly, no pets =(

Our 5 bedroom 3 bath house is fully furnished and decorated, a warm and welcome home (bedrooms not decorated, but we can supply a bed if needed). It is a great gathering place for friends and family, but also calm, clean, and peaceful. All appliances are new and fully functional. All furniture is brand new and in perfect condition. Large, fenced in backyard great for activities with friends or just peace and quiet. Safe, quiet neighborhood.

Amenities included in cost are:

all utilities (gas, water, power, garbage, etc)

in-home tech support (I'm in IT)

DISH satellite

42" LCD tv

Xbox, complete with Kinect and tons of fun games =)

Netflix streaming

HuluPlus

crazy fast wireless internet (I'm a stickler for that kind of thing)

jumbo-size washer & dryer

storage

organized closets

Dishes, pots & pans, appliances

beautiful, spacious home

and 2 awesome roommates!!

Applicants will be expected to:

-Come for a tour of the house

-Submit to a personal interview where we get to know you a little (likes, dislikes, career, etc)

-Submit to a background & bankruptcy check

-Be awesome!

A $200 deposit will be required, 100 of which is refundable at your departure. Two month requested stay, the longer the better. Notification required 20 days prior to move-out.

All that being said, I can be flexible.

Sitting room: