Thursday, September 25, 2008

A word about PRIVACY and my friends....

My pal TT was talking about privacy and real life friends and closeness and understanding and so I went and cut the lawn and thought on it an have to post a bit.

When I started pottersblog 2+ years ago, it was under the name 'GR' and I didn't say where I lived and there wasn't any picture of me. I was terrified of being found, because we had moved earlier that year from a neighborhood where we had been creatively stalked for 3 years by people who had a meth lab up our former street. They were BAD people, and so we sold our house secretly and told people we knew around our old house we had moved to Florida.

What a difference 2-3 years make! No peeps from those drug dealers (those types of people often don't need the police to catch them, as they manage to self-destruct on their own), fingers crossed. And so, I put my name on the blog, and pics, and even where we live. It has been OK! And we have had visitors from blog land visit us and we have gone to see them and it is a thrill.

TT goes on to mention that sometimes blog friends get her better than the real life friends. Well! I am amazed at the crowd I hang around with online, as different as we all are, we all share a common thread---it is friendliness, fun, creativity and RESPECT. Something very valuable, something to tresure, and thanks all of you for traveling with me to this new blog, which is, of course, more the same. Now I have to figure out this following thing, so bear with me....

11 comments:

Jessica said...

Scary about the stalkers--glad you are ok now. :) I agree with you about blogging friends!

Gary's third pottery blog said...

:^)

tt said...

I agree....I don't know what I'd do now a days w/o my blog friends. All of them..you included..have helped me in ways I never dreams of.

The reason for the move was scarey!!!geez-o-pete Gar!! Glad you left THAT behind.

I sort of lok at you as a Pied Piper of sorts....I'll follow you everywhere. and, um...that's a good thing I think...no ramdom stalking...rather purposeful learning and reading and...oh yea...buying!! Woo-hoo!

Anonymous said...

Well, when the fam & I come visit you, it won't be stalking. ;)
I was telling someone about you last night...my words were, "My friend Gary, who is a potter in upstate NY"

As for me and my world, I keep our names and location under wraps (gotta model the internet safety thing for the kiddos, and all). If I had meth lab stalkers, I'd definitely be anonymous!! Scary stuff, Gary.

Anonymous said...

When my K was a baby, we started a blog for her.....and I was really freaked out about weirdos reading it. We ended putting a password on it, and tried to leave out specific details of where we lived, etc.

It's sad that we have to be so cautious.

H

Anonymous said...

Gee whiz! I knew your old neighbors could be jerks, but I didn't know about their meth lab. Glad you got out of their unharmed. And your new neighbors, they seem okay...
EH

Knight said...

I started out very private as well. At the time nobody realized Knight is my last name. I have since posted real pictures of myself and show fliers with my full name so I blew the whole hiding thing. I really love the people I have met through blogging and it has been a great experience...so far. *scary to be continued music* Duh duh duh....

Lynda said...

Did you leave a trail of purple paint when you moved? wink wink

I am glad to "know" you and enjoy your blog more than you know!

Gary's third pottery blog said...

smooch everybody, SMOOCH!
Pied Piper, HAR!!!!!

Susan as Herself said...

That is crazy about the meth lab thing---YIKES.

Now get down on the floor and cover your eyes while I take all your pottery to cook heroin in.

I kid.

Of course we will follow you. DUH!

: )

Kiwis in Huldenberg said...

Well, I just stumbled upon your blog today, obviously with a referal from a kindred spirit at http://womanwandering.blogspot.com/

I couldn't agree with you more, it is just another medium to meet like minded people. I think it is sad that we need to be so paranoid about our personal information. So what can go wrong? - sure protect your loved ones and your wealth but at what cost?