jakehurwitz:

A few weeks ago at work I came back to my computer to find someone had google searched “hot air balloons.” I found this odd, but I ignored it and went about my day. A few hours later I returned to my computer to find the same search. That’s when I asked, “Who searched hot air balloons on my computer?” No one confessed, so slightly confused, I again went about my day. Since then it’s happened almost every day consistently. I’ll come back to my computer after lunch, or a bathroom break or a meeting, to find someone has googled “hot air balloons.” Not even image searched, just a regular search.

I think the growing flustered and frantic reactions to this mystery has only fueled the fire. Now I believe there to be somewhat of a conspiracy going on. Where once it was just one odd (yet clever) individual, now it seems to be a whole slew of people who are out to get me.

I think one of the main reasons this is so upsetting to me is because I really wish I had thought of it. It’s so subtle, so infuriating, so genius. I hate being the victim of a prank I want to be playing. This video posted to Vimeo today shows how this prank is escalating. Twice today hot air balloons have become the background of my computer.

So Mystery Hot Air Balloon Googler, whoever you are, good work. I hate you. But good work.

The best pranks are simple and smart. I’d like to try this one, but unlike your office, everyone at my office locks their computers when they step away. We don’t want anyone to know that we are surfing the web on company time.