HowManyOfMe.com
There are
people with
my name
in the U.S.A.
My name isn't terribly common but I have certainly received my share of emails meant for a different Bridget Palmer. I like to piece them together into a life, to form one coherent picture of Other Bridget Palmer.
Other Bridget began to take shape when I started getting eCards for "my" birthday every year. In the intervening months, I sometimes received eCards personalized with messages from a specific someone saying she missed me. I assumed it was "my" mom. After the first few cards, I sent an email to this woman to tell her I was not her daughter, mostly because I felt bad that her real daughter, wherever she was, was not receiving these lovely eCards. I never heard back. And I kept getting the cards.
In March of 2007, I got a few emails from a group of "my" friends with details on planning a bachelorette party. I was really excited that Other Bridget was getting married. I just knew her mom would be proud of her. I sent an email to the group of friends to tell them they had the wrong person. I never heard back.
In August 2009, I was informed by a baby advice website email that "I" had given birth to a baby girl. Six pounds, five ounces, and 19 inches long. I suppose she might have been my actual child except that the email also informed me that the baby's name was Madisyn. Spelled like so. Every week for a few months, I got an email update on "my" baby's growth and learning progress. Until I logged in to the website (with the username and password the emails had provided me) and unsubscribed.
Other Bridget's life took a turn for the unexpected last month when I was invited, via email, by a prison inmate to correspond with her on the prison's secure communications website. I was concerned that one of Other Bridget's friends had fallen into a life of crime and been incarcerated, but also touched that she still wanted to keep up our friendship. I logged on to the prison's website system and agreed to be one of the inmate's approved pen pals. Sadly, a few days later I got an email saying the inmate had denied me. She must have realized she sent the email to the wrong person. It's just as well since the only reason I went through with logging onto the system was to tell her so.
I actually received an email from Other Bridget herself, once. She told me she often came across my blog while Googling her name and she wished me well in my adventures. I wish her well in hers, too.
And I look forward to being kept up to date on them.