My work has me calling people all around the country. In the process I often get told I need to call another number. Funny thing is the way the person expresses a number often reveals a measure of their view of the outer world.

Most people use ten digits, including the area code, in the phone number. Here in Arizona we have had multiple area codes for more than ten years, first two area codes and now we are up to five. That said it is common place here and in other metro areas to give all ten numbers lest you pick the wrong area code.

But a few times a month I call some place that just might not be living in the latest century. Okay that's not fair, the person I am chatting up trying to get information doesn't think outside their area code. They give me seven digit number minus the area code. While it could be by chance I rather doubt it.

I think it gets more that these people are often stagnant and don't get out in the wider world. It's not just a structure issue, when I ask if it's their area code in a polite tone their response is a shocked attitude that they quickly confirm, but the truth in their voice is evident that they assume the world lives only in their area code.

Maybe there is another explanation for their attitude, but I suspect I am right.

Fun little comparison to blogging and homebrewing to journalism by Glenn Reynolds in the Economist (Hat Tip: Kottke). As a home brewer, I like the analogy and it works for me, because blogging is what you make of it much like homebrewing. For instance in the last few months I have brewed a Holiday Ale, Russian Imperial Stout and Rye Brown Ale. Not even the local brewpubs have brewed such a diversity. Likewise blogging here tends to be a mix between technology, beer, and whatever else strikes my fancy. With the diverse nature of individual backgrounds some people blog about poker, politics, or modern film making.

Like homebrew some sites produce such quality you stop and wonder why they don’t charge for the stuff and other stuff reminds you of a rotting skunk (thankfully I have not had that issue with my beer). Perhaps it’s part of the reason I enjoy both activities because you never are quite sure of the outcome and the more you do it the better you get at it, in theory at least.

Lastly like homebrewing, blogging is pretty simple and nearly anyone with some effort can do it, mostly it just takes a little time and work.

This is one of the funniest things I have read in a while. Hat Tip:Hugh