TMI vs. fun to know vs. NTK

When does something fall in the
"Too Much Information" category vs. the "Need to Know" or "Fun to Know?"

for instance,
fun to know: your coworker is a marathon runner
TMI: your coworker is a marathon doper.

sometimes personal information can be fun to know. it gives you new insights into the idiosyncrasies of human nature.
sometimes that information can be too personal, sometimes boring, and sometimes, just too much!

i'm sure i'm guilty of all of the above. but pondering the differences can be fun.

boring information: your friend gets her nails done 3x/wk.
even more boring: the color of the polish or the name of the woman who does them.
fun to know: why your friend needs to get her nails done so often
TMI: the details of either of the above, or worse yet, the sound of nails being clipped in the cubicle next to you.

it's lovely to hear how excited someone is about their kid's development. it's TMI to hear about little Timmy's bodily functions. worse yet, hearing about how his actions mimic his father's. i know that story is based in love, but really folks, i like to like your kids and husband. vivid imagery is best saved for the canvas. yes?

call me squeamish, disinterested, or a snob, but thought this blog needed a little more levity.
you gotta love this dog:



p.s. Happy Bday, Lisa! Happy Mother's day, Mom and to all you moms out there.