I haven’t posted much lately. I am experiencing trouble opening up knowing that there are people out there that know me and could be reading this.
I had a friend call me about my post on my custody arrangements with Jim. He was concerned that because I post my blog entries on my Facebook page, my oldest daughter and her friends will read what I write.
Then there was the email I received when I posted about who’s responsibilty it should be to initiate a change in visitation. I was told I should password-protect posts I make about Jim and Nancy.
Finally, there is the blog post at The Wisdom Journal about how to prepare for a background check. When I Googled my name, not only did my Facebook page come up, but so did my blog. Which freaked me out, because what if this is the reason I haven’t been offered a full-time position.
There are things I want to write about, things I need to get out there. I enjoy blogging and getting feedback from different people, different perspectives. I have some serious shit going on in my life that I haven’t felt comfortable posting, and I feel even less comfortable knowing that someone doing a background check on me could read. The idea that I might not be offered a job because I have custody issues with my ex, or problems with my children scares me.
I haven’t decided entirely what I am going to do yet. I don’t want to have a blog full of password-protected posts. I am thinking about setting up a separate Facebook page just for my blog, and not publishing on my personal page. So if you read through Networked Blogs, please bookmark me so when I do make some changes, you’ll be able to find me.
[...] The rest is here: Anonymity « Lifestyle of a Divorced Single Mom [...]
I finally broke down and password-protected about half my posts. It sucks and it’s sapped some of my motivation over the last few weeks… but I can’t find any other way to keep my private business private while also having a safe place to vent and get feedback and be able to write about whatever I want. It’s working for now, I guess…
Quite the dilemma. I feel your pain. What you write is helpful, not only to you but to those who read it. It’s a very constructive way to work through your feelings and frustrations. I hope anyone reading would be able to understand that. Keeping everything bottled up inside is more unhealthy that anything else you could do. What people need to see is that you are healthy and strong – that’s a good thing – a positive quality for mom, a friend, and an employee!
I feel your pain. This is the main reason I have have never used my REAL name on any of my internet things. I have a sparse facebook page that is only connected to family and friends. My myspace is private as well. My blogs are published under a name I use for the internet. Sorry this is happening but password protected posts are only as good as the people who hold your passwords so even pw protected posts can cause an issue. I can’t really offer any advice other than possibly start another blog not using your real name and don’t connect the new blog to your real life pages (facebook, twitter, myspace etc)
I actually blog under an assumed name. When I blogged under my real name I was amazed the people who found me. And my ex basically chased me around the internet. He did find my new blog but I never use specifics so I have deniability.
For about the last year I’ve been writing under my alias. For what I want to write about this way works best – there is no way I want my facebook friends to be able to read what I’m writing now. I can be open and completely honest. I know it stinks but I really do find it just as cathartic.
Late to the party, but I also blog semi-anonymously. If anyone stumbled upon my blog they would recognize my picture and my story, but since I don’t use my real name, it doesn’t come up if they’re just searching my name. I also have a seperate e-mail account that is used exclusively for blogging so they can’t chase me down that way either. The blog is in no way connected to any other online media and while some of my family and friends know I blog, they don’t know the address and (so far) are respecting the fact that it is a therapy of sorts for me and haven’t pushed me for details. I know that I would not be as ruthlessly honest in my posts (and therefore not learn as much about myself and my “issues”) if I was constantly worried about hurting someone’s feelings with something I said.