I have all these events to blog about, but this topic is faster, easier, and more immediate.

Last week (June 28), I noticed on a social networking site that I’m involved in that my elementary-school age nephew (Mr. W’s brother’s son) had changed his profile picture. The new photo was just him making a goofy face at the camera. He had labeled the face on the picture as himself, and then labeled his brown T-shirt “Mr. Owl.” Upon closer inspection, I recognized the owl as the owl in the Tootsie Pop commercials of the my childhood. On the T-shirt was even written “Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take?” So the following conversation ensued with regard to that photo.
Me: “Boy: Mr. Turtle, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Mr. Turtle: I never made it without biting. Let’s ask Mr. Owl.
Boy: Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Mr. Owl: Let’s find out. A-one…*lick*…a-two-hoooo…*lick*…a-three. *CrUnCh* Three.”
Ryan: “haha”
Ryan: “=DDDD
nice shirt right =DD”
Ryan: “the front of my hat looks so awesome but i look stupid with forward hats, which yah…”
Ryan: “imma take a picture of my hat, and show and upload it
(the front) wow i just have a convo with myself…”
Me: “…and it was very entertaining to watch you talk to yourself.”
Ryan: “HA HA….”

And then, 2 days later (June 30), Ann and Claudio were involved in an online conversation about my then-upcoming July 4th BBQ.
Ann: for the record, i think u suck bc ur not coming.
Claudio: I know, I know. I am a horrible human being. 🙁
Ann: nah. i wouldn’t go that far 🙂
Claudio: 🙂
Cindy: how do you do an eyeroll in a smiley?
Claudio: &_&
Cindy: o.O
Claudio: ?_? [ascii picture of indignant-looking eyeballs]
Cindy: Geek.
Claudio: ??? [ascii picture of large round eyes with a dot in the center of each, meant to look bespectacled, but I thought it looked like an owl especially given that the nose was an ascii symbol of something with a downward droop that looked beaklike]
Cindy: Mr. Owl. How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
Claudio: Let’s find out. One! Tahoooo. Thrrreeee.
Claudio: *crunch*
Claudio: Thrrrrreee.
Cindy: How many licks DOES it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop? *sadly* The world may never know.
Claudio: ?_? [ascii picture of big tearful eyes]
Cindy: argh. I can’t out-Ascii you.
Claudio: \m/ *.* \m/

(I thought the Ascii face Claudio made above looked like an owl. Hopefully all the ascii comes across on this post.) I need to note that Claudio and Ryan do not know each other, so they did not see each others’ conversations on this site.

And then waaaay earlier today (past midnight), I announced on the site that my plan for the night was to medicate my cat (Dodo’s getting eyedrops and antibiotic liquid meds), get ready for bed, and them come downstairs and fall asleep to the TV. My UCLA friend Ansen (who does not know Claudio or Ryan) commented, and this followed.
Ansen: um. its almost 2am fellow owl.
Cindy (just now): You know what’s funny? We just came back from visiting at my parents’ house, and my mom was all, “We have a gift for you!” It was a little pendant of an owl. I was like, “Huh? Why would she get me an owl?” Now it all makes sense!
Brigitte (Gym Trainee): She knows you better than you think. Yeah Cindy’s mom!
Cindy: she’s weird like that.
Ansen: hoot hoot. how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?
Cindy: OMG. This is the 3rd [social networking site] reference to that commercial I’ve had in a week. And you guys are all not friends. I think the universe is talking to me.
Ansen: dunno what to say? i go on tangents alot. all this talk of owls and my sweet tooth remembers the old commericial ;p haha
Cindy: actually, all 3 references began with an owl. the 1st was actually THE Mr. Owl on my nephew’s shirt on his new profile pic. the 2nd was an ascii picture my friend Claudio put up in convo with me [on here]. And third is you! Hmm.. what do owls mean?

What DOES it all mean? Ah-let’s find out. A-one…a-two-hooooo…three.