ArcaMax

-- Self-Talker

Dear Talker: First of all, understand that all human beings start life basically self-narrating. Babies babble, toddlers narrate the world aloud and it's only later in life where many of us submerge our stream of thoughts -- because we are forced to.

My research on this reveals: Talking to oneself is often associated with high intelligence, it is fairly common, and it is an efficient way of organizing your thoughts. I read a quote from a software developer, who said that in his industry, "it's not uncommon when debugging to explain the problem to an inanimate object, like a rubber duck. This externalizes our thought process, and solves the problem without having to bother one of our co-workers."

And, as the old joke goes, talking to yourself is sometimes the only way to guarantee you'll have an intelligent conversation.

I wish you didn't feel so self-conscious about this habit. Understand that with Bluetooth technology, many people walk down the street talking aloud, as they conduct their cellphone conversations.

You might be able to adjust this habit by keeping a log of your utterances -- either through a voice recorder or by writing them down. This will make you more aware and will help you to adjust your behavior.

Or just dangle an earbud set out of one ear and run the cord into your pocket, and people will assume you're on the phone.

Dear Amy: "Concerned in Colorado" discovered via Google that their supervisor had a criminal past.

Sheesh, Amy. Did it never occur to you that many people share names? This could very easily be a case of mistaken identity!

-- Upset

Dear Upset: "Concerned" had uncovered a news article, featuring a mug shot of the supervisor. Presumably, there was visual confirmation.

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(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: ASKAMY@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)