In both recent and non-recent conversations, I’ve noticed a distinct need for a new term, so I’m going to go ahead and coin it here. (I always did dream of becoming a lexicographer!)

Befoogled: Not having time to Google somebody before you meet them in real life.

The story behind this is that last Wednesday, I had dinner with James Benedict, Amal Devani, and Diana Yousef, three incredibly bright and accomplished people who are Principals over at Kidd Company. We were all dining at a cute restaurant in Soho, with Hugo Berkeley and Julie Lerner. When Julie arrived, she apologized for not having time to Google me or Hugo beforehand, and asked for a quick run-down on our respective backgrounds.

This is almost guranteed to be a familiar scenario to you. (If it isn’t, then perhaps you have wayyyy too much free time on your hands.)

The truth of the matter is, we have all been in a similar situation. You have exchanged some emails with a new person, and from the content of the messages, it’s obvious that you guys should meet IRL (in real life, for the uninitiated). However, in the rush of obligations and emergencies (otherwise known as life), it isn’t until that VERY. MOMENT. where we actually have to tear ourselves away from the computer long enough to leave for the aforementioned meeting, that our stomachs drop as we realize that we didn’t ever have the time to do a full-on Google.

It’s quite an unsettling feeling.

Even though we came up with the term based on the combination of ‘before’ and ‘Google,’ the actual sounds found in the term “befoogled” do a good job of describing that awkward, uneasy feeling. It’s not entirely like befuddled (perplexed or baffled) or muddled (mentally confused).

However, there is an even more appropriate definition of muddled: “To behave, proceed, or think in a confused or aimless fashion or with an air of improvisation. A confused, disordered, or embarrassing condition.”

That seems pretty descriptive of how I feel when I’m befoogled.

Want to learn how to avoid being befoogled? Check out my post on Stalking 101.