EDITED TO ADD:i've decided after this post to change the names of the family.
TGIF!
Dream Interpretation: Wednesday, I had a dream the boys and I were sleeping on a king sized bed in this room where one entire wall was a window to the outside world. Mischiefmaker#2 woke up, darted to the window and pointed to something, saying "What's that??! What's That?!?" By the time I opened my eyes whatever it was he saw was no longer there. I closed the blinds and we went back to bed. We were awaken hours later still in the middle of the night by police sirens b/c apparently someone had killed the woman who lived in the apartment or hotel room downstairs (not sure what kind of building we were sleeping in)
I think at that point, I woke up, shifted in my sleep or switched dreams b/c that's all I remember. OKAY, THAT WAS SCARY.
I THOUGHT ABOUT IT THURSDAY and I think I've figured it out.
I think it had to do with the fact that I am just now starting to get anxious about all the personal matters and private info I put on this blog. This week I was particularly conscious of it b/c de hubby was away for a week-long conference. (He's back today. Yay) I had put that out there not on this blog but on another online forum and I was thinking, if I had a stalker or if there was a crazy they'd come get me.
Hence, the dream! I see people only putting initials or fake names, but I'm thinking their blogs are popular, and I rationalize, who is really stalking a mom in middle America and her kids. I know there are psychos out there, but I'm thinking most of the readers are good people and the blog community is full of good wholesome, loving folks and there is no need for paranoia.
Am I being Naive????
4 comments:
Well your naive could be my paranoid. I blog about my life as a wife/mom/working outside the home and all that goes with that. I've had photos of my husband/kids up. I've used real names. BUT I stopped blogging for a little while and when I can back, I went through all the old posts and took down the ones with names. Then I changed my kid's names to Prince and Princess and my husband's name. I'd read a (popular) blog and the author said she had to clean up her archives because a reader/stalker, put the pieces together and sent her an fyi letting her know she found her address. Extreme? Maybe, but I don't want to have to hurt anyone.:)
I struggled with this for years before I finally settled on the format I have for my current blog. I am not a big name in blogging by any means but from the blogs I've read over the years I know all it takes is one journalist or news story to take a small unknown blog and launch it into the stratosphere.
As you know my husband and I did have an instance where someone online did try to cross into our real lives and compromise some things but thankfully we were able to get it all resolved. My main concern had always been our family's safety but because of the depth in which I share my kids lives I realize I want them to have their own anonymity. Not so much out of paranoia or safety- but just because they don't need every kid in elementary school to be easily able to get so many details of their lives. Plus you know how easily searchable my chidren's names are so I made the choice to not include them.
I've had to seriously evaluate my purpose and focus in blogging many times and dreams like that definitely make one reexamine what is best for you in your blog.
It's better safe than sorry. A blog is a tool for networking, sharing meeting friends...whatever. But we must be mindful that their are people in the world who are not so nice. We want to keep our families safe and the wackos at bay. Take precaution. Go with your gut feeling. Names in a blog are not worth the headache of linking up with some nut job from blog world.
wonderful words of wisdom ladie. I really appreciate you guys' candor and opinions and I'm thinking to err on the side of caution.
Great point Yo, about how one mention can catapult a little known blog into the screens of thousands in one day.
I guess I know what I'll be doing Sunday. :D
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