It is funny how technology changes things. Since we got our first Gateway computer back in the dark ages until now things have changed dramatically. And I am not talking just in size or amount of electronic devices that are available. I am talking about how much people can find out about you—without you even knowing it or realizing it. Our youngest son has always cautioned me about divulging too much online or about being smart about things. Well, I “think” that I am but I really am not. When I think about it—I have said things in a public forum (either Facebook, Twitter or on a blog) that I probably should not have said. Or have said things that could have been misinterpreted. I think that it is easy to just sit at a keyboard and type away thinking that I can be anonymous but that is really pretty impossible in this day and age. I even tried my hand at Foursquare for a bit where you “log in” to wherever you are and alert your friends that you are there–hoping to become mayor of that establishment….maybe not the utmost in privacy, you think?
The internet can be a great thing. Why just today I ordered things online, caught up with the latest news in Columbiana, Ohio, and at the local United Methodist church there, read about 10 tips for avoiding bedbugs, found a new recipe to try out, paid a bill, and the day is still young!!! There is still much to do!
I have found my first grade best friend whose name, coincidentally, is now Beth Brown (yep, MY maiden name), got an email from my roommate in the hospital when our oldest was born, ordered books that my great uncle wrote, and toady I got a request for pictures of a church that we attended 5 years ago from someone who I absolutely do not know anything about or how they found me or how they knew that we attended there. Now that is the kind of thing that kind of creeps me out. Though it is perfectly innocent request I admit that it did. I don’t know this person from Adam . Or Eve. I keep my Facebook profile really locked down tightly profile wise and I am very discerning about who I accept to be my “friend”. But still…there are savvy people out there that can grab information and use it. And not always in a good way.
My parting thoughts today are that I need to be careful. I am pretty much an open book person but maybe that isn’t a good thing. Thoughts?? Experiences??? Love to hear comments especially from fellow bloggers about it you censor things that you write about or if you just make your blog private. I must admit I like to see how many people visit my blog each day and I love comments so I guess that I won’t go private but maybe not be quite so open?????
2 Comments
Leave a commentI was always considered the quiet one. A behind the scenes kinda gal!
Now, I’m a blogger. I got going because I moved to a completely different world (Roatan, Honduras) from what I use to (Ontario, Canada.)
I love sharing day-to-day life on an Island, nestled in the Caribbean Sea. At first my goal was to help family and friends understand my radical change in lifestyle. It has now expanded to include NEW friends around the world! I hold nothing back…I did for a while. I didn’t want to risk people not coming to visit by telling them about the tarantula that landed on my head. But then I realized that is part of the charm of living on Roatan.
Great to hear from you ,Genny! I think the daily sharing is the best way to go also! I started my blog when we moved to Australia and it was kind of a great way to keep up with folks (or have them keep up with us, I guess!) and it just kind of continued because I got addicted to doing it! I, too, love to read about other’s adventures and I just think it is a great world out there that we all need to explore!
You had tarantulas and we had frogs in the toilets, monitors that lived under the house and a python that supposedly lived in the attic–though trust me, I did not check the accuracy of that one!!!
Keep blogging—I will keep coming back!