I'm going to lose readers with this one, but I'm sitting here stewing so I'm going to get it off my chest.
I'm a private person. Really. It's ironic that I keep a blog, but as you'll note, I don't give out my real name unless you email me privately about something. Mainly I do this to protect the identity of my kids, who are the cutest things in the universe. I would be horrified if somebody tracked them down in real life because of pictures or information on my blog. Call me overprotective.
This morning I stumbled onto yet another blog where the author insists that we all reveal our email address in our Blogger profile. The author even gave instructions on how to do this, because clearly, anybody not publishing their email just didn't know how to do it.
I beg to differ. I really don't want my email exposed to spam. It's as simple as that. I like one simple email address where I get all my mail, and it stays absolutely clean. I'm not interested in having a second email account just for my blog.
I don't expect fellow bloggers to respond to my comments via email. If anybody would like to reach me, they can use the javascript link to my email in my sidebar.
So when I come visit your blog, please don't be offended that my name says "no-reply blogger." It's not about you, it's about me.
Who Needs a Garden Tiller . .
12 hours ago
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32 people stopped folding laundry to write:
I agree with you. You won't lose me.
I think that is so funny that people might actually stop reading here because of this??? I've definitely left comments on other people's blogs about the email thing bc I had no idea how to change my profile and someone pointed it out to me. But in general, I see a lot of people who keep anonymous.
From the title, I thought this was going to be about politics or religion!
Whew! I thought you were going to delve deep into my pysche and I would leave running with my avatar beside me!!
I wholeheartedly believe if you WANT to be a "no-reply", than "no-reply" you should be. But I know there are bloggers out there asking 910 questions all over the place and we have no way to answer their questions. They are the ones that need a few instructions. Not YOU. You who shall be named "no-replier". Honestly, I love you, "no-reply". It saves me time and I move on with my day. It is all about me, too. :)
I was sitting here holding my breath as I read your post, I couldn't imagine what you were going to say that could make me stop reading! And this for sure would not make me stop reading. I think that it's ridiculous for anyone to think that you have to give out private info if you don't want to! Everyone is entitled to their privacy and that should be acceptable!! :)
You won't lose me either. My children are both young adults, and you should have seen me scramble to get my email off of that dashboard place at the top of my blog before I realized it wouldn't show up when I launched the thing. I'd like to think that most people reading our blogs are honest, but.... Now as for that hat in the post before. I still remember when my kids would come home with a project for "me". I don't know how the teacher thinks the student can do these things. I think JoAnn's sells some fairly stiff interfacing that you could fashion into that head thingie. You can't use anything really too heavy or she won't be able to wear it for very long and it probably won't stay on her head if it's too heavy. Good luck with that. I'd like to see photos after you have it finished.
Of course you won't lose me. But sometimes I do get sad when I can't click on a link on someone's comment to reply to something particularly witty or touching. I think that is what people are meaning when they push you to leave an email address. But, you gotta do what you are comfortable with.
ohhh. I'm so sorry anyone made you feel that way. That's awful.
You won't lose me! lol. I love your blog. And privacy is important!
Maybe these other people have separate emails for their blog stuff. I know that because I didn't want to give out my primary email addy and such when I started my blog, that I started an outside email. Specifically for ALL of my blog stuff. No personal stuff attached. Maybe these people just assume that all people did this.
*shrugs* idk!
I hope you have a great day. And don't let it get to you. You don't "know" these people. And words are so hard to discern in print. :D
There's a quote that I'm kind of fond of, I don't really agree with it literally but, all the same it helps me keep things in perspective.
"Be who you are, say what you feel. Because those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter."
LOL. Have a great day.
I'm not sure why someone would disagree with this post or stop reading because of it.
The level of privacy we are comfortable is up to us, no one else. That's the joy of this being YOUR blog, you run it, you control what is seen (and not seen), and everyone else can suck it!
If you lose readers because of this, then they were readers WORTH losing!
People seriously get worked up about that? Seriously? If someone wanted my personal info that badly, I'd see major red flags! Sheesh. Some people need to get a life. (And I'll keep reading your blog because the libertarian in me agrees with you. I even refulse to fill out the long form of the census!)
I'm the last one to disagree with this. Since I call my kids, The Kids, The Boy, or The Girl. I really have a hard time with people who try to tell others how to run their own blog. When to post, what to post about, blah. I enjoy my readers a lot and love their comments about my life, but ultimately, my blog is for me. As yours should be. For you, that is, not for me. Although, I wouldn't stop reading if you made it all about me either. Although, most others probably would.
As you know, I'm pretty open about my family, my name, etc. But that's because *I'm* comfortable with that. I get that other people are less comfortable, and that's perfectly fine with me.
I'm sorry other people don't recognize that we all have boundaries that don't have to be exactly alike. :/
Lose me? Sweetie, YOU are the reason I went anonymous on my kids names (a major feat to go back and fix approx. 300 blog entries)!! I'm actually wanting to change my blog name but haven't managed to come up with anything creative enough.
Those survey/meme questions that ask the street where you grew up on and pet names and the like, concern me. I think that is asking for identity theft.
I must say I was surprised when your name popped up somewhere, but it is safe with me!! I think it is easy enough to communicate with you through comments and twitter.
Ahaha! I was expecting something totally different, I gotta tell ya! I don't think you will lose readers over this.
I don't publish my e-mail or real names. I love sharing and I think that comments can say it all. I try to be careful and go through my posts from time to time to make sure I haven't posted anything too revealing. I think there are a lot of crazies out there. I think you are wise. I belong to a Yahoo group that I have been in for years and every once in awhile someone will "pop" in and tell us how poor she is and how she is so struggling and we offer advice and prayer but then all of a sudden she is gone. I think it is money fishing. Maybe that sounds hard but I really don't know the pop-ins. I have actually met some of my Yahoo pals and then the story really changes because of meeting them in person. OK I have gone off on a tangent here.
Tuesday Tidings from Roberta Anne
ABSOLUTLY!! I totally feel the same way. I want to protect my family also. I don't think you have to worry about loosing any readers,especially after reading some of the other comments that have been made already!
"No-reply blogger" is who you will remain, and thats just fine with me!
Take care,smile,& don't worry! ;0)
We don't use real names around here either. Don't want someone we know googling us and finding out what really goes on here. Well, I don't want the state to know that I think they are incompetent in matters of foster care.
You wouldn't lose me over something like this. I totally get where you are coming from and understand.
I know that TypePad comment fields require an email address and for all I know, people put in a fake one. If I have time, I reply to comments, but for the most part, I reciprocate via a blog visit. I hope that the fact TP asks for an email addy doesn't put you off visiting my place.
For the most part I agree with everything you've stated here. With one exception. Well and it's really not an exception, it's just some clarification.
I'm totally for privacy and people running their blogs the way they want especially when it comes to their families and children. Its all about what works for you.
Dude, I don't think this is as big a deal as you think! Of course, this is coming from someone who won't even post pictures of their kids on their blog, so I'm not one to talk :) I did just set up my own "blog" account, though, that is more anonymous than my real email address that contains my first AND last name (way to pick a super stealthy email, WhatACard!)
I thought this post would be about how you like to kick puppies or hate all the other women who blog :)
I totally agree with you.
So many people don't know how easy it is to track people on the internet and there is a lot of sick persons out there.
I've been there - 10 years ago I was 'found' by someone and recieved disgusting mails and phonecalls at night. Very very scary´.
Today I protect myself as much as I can.
It's supposed to be fun and joyful and I intend to keep it that way.
Glad to know You do the same *S*
Rosa, Copenhagen-DK
At the expense of sounding totally stupid... I dont get it. I am new to the blogger world so when they ask you for all kinds of stuff I just ignore it instead of learning it. I like things simple and to the point. Especially at give aways when you are to do 5 different steps. I dont have that kind of time. Anyway I love reading your blog so Im not going anywhere. Kuddos!
Oh, I thought you were going to reveal something really controversial. You don't know me, but if you did, you'd know that I live for that kind of thing. :)
I don't have my email address on my blog. If someone wants to email me, all they need to do is comment with a request to email them. I have done the same to bloggers with whom I wanted to write something longer than what one normally leaves as a comment....you know, like I just did.
Lisa or Wordy Woman
So we have to divulge our secret blog-crush on you *in public comments*!?
Snif. You're so heartless!
(As a priest's wife, I've rather given up some aspects of privacy, but that's my own laziness, I mean choice.)
Hmmmm, I never thought of it that way.
I just get frustrated when someone asks me a direct question and there is no address to reply to. I feel like I look like a bitch for not responding. But, glad to hear your reason. And yes, I have seen an increase in spam from it.
Totally agree!
As cute as your kids are, you might not want to post pictures of them if you truly want to preserve their privacy.
You give out enough personal info of your own that you really wouldn't be too hard to track down (and your kids are just the next step).. and trust me, when (not if) their classmates find your blog, they will *eat them alive*. Seriously. It is inevitable. Since you don't use their real names, without the pictures there is always plausible deniability.
oh yeah, this topic will definitely cause people to run screaming from you blog. ;)
I totally understand your reasoning and can see no reason whatsoever why people would stop reading because of it!! If they do, it's their loss, imo.
I never cared if people choose to publish their email address or not. Because I'm lazy generally I won't reply to a comment unless it's right there.
But being in NZ makes me feel a little safe - but we do have werido's here as well!!
When I first got online in 1993, everybody advised me to never give out my real name or where I live, etc. That's why I have that nahnahnah email address. I'm nowhere near as private nowadays but I think if I had kids and was blogging about them I would give them all pseudonyms. I'm not even sure if I would post pictures showing their faces. I think everybody should do what makes them feel comfortable and if you or anyone else doesn't want to give out their email address, that's ok with me.
I am private too, but I don't think you would know that.
I get creeped out when people I don't really know that well at work tell me they read my blog and then comment on it.
I know that's weird of me..but hey, I'm weird.
I totally get what you are saying.
You aren't going to lose anyone here at all.
That would be nuts.
Sorry to say that I've replied to one or two of your comments on my blog by email. I didn't even realize you could leave out your email address. Sorry you didn't get them! But I agree with your reasoning, totally. You'll have to do more than this post to get me to stop reading your blog - haha!
You won't lose your true fans and you won't lose me either.
I have to admit that I did start a seperate email addy just for my blog. I like you, like privacy and yet, I like to hear what people like to say, without giving out my personal email.
It does get to be alot and I think you should do what makes you happy! After all, to me blogging isn't about what makes others happy! :)
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