Today is the birthday of Al Gorithm. But Al isn't really Al. Most of us who know @Twitterzilla know who Al is however. Or do we? Is he like Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street? Dr Wilson, the next door neighbor who never showed his face on Home Improvement?
Wishing Al a Happy Birthday got me thinking about sharing why my children are AChrome22, Princess19, and LittleOne5 if we aren't friends.
There are many different names you might know from others .... TallOne, Husband, Spousal Unit, Kidlet, Fric, Frac, etc. Rarely do we, as Bloggers use real names of friends, family, and associates.
Why? In my opinion there are two big reasons - do you have more to add?
- There are crazies out there. My life is very transparent in the blogging and online social networking that I do. I don't want people to have that same transparency with my friends & family. They need protection,
especially the Little Ones. (By the way, please never, never post a picture of your children in public view) - I want them to have a voice in their online identity. My older children are both online quite a bit. They are who they are. I want them to decide what they want people to know and not.
So along with saying Happy Birthday, to Al, support Al being Al and not Jack, or Rob, or Bart, if those were his given name.
If you are a new blogger... please think this through - protect the ones close to you. We have to be so transparent so people find us - but we don't need to make that decision for others.
PS AlGorithm I hope you get some Banana Cream Pie today! (And playtime!) Happy Birthday!!!
Happy birthday, Al, are you let out of the garage today?
Kim, I agree wholeheartedly with all you have said about posting about family. I never refer to my kids by name or post pictures. Wait -- the picture exception being the birthday posts for them that I did this year as ages 18 & 16. They are pics of them as toddlers -- not recognizable as the teens they are today. Your reasons above are exactly why I feel this way. Couldn't have said it better myself.
Happy Birthday, AlGorithm! @Twitterzilla - have fun baking!
my "Snuffleupagus" said to me very early in blogging..."you don't BLOG about me do you?" I had not and I can still hear the terror in his voice at the thought of being "Blogged about"
Happy Birthday AlGorithm
@AL Gorithm says thank you very much. He is now about to nap after painting my son's house all day. I might join in on that napping thing. The bananan creme pie is on ice.
Kim, thanks for opening my eyes! I've referred to one of my kids by name and have gone back to delete a picture and a reference. Henceforth they shall be known as Hellion (18), Rocker (14) and Coyote (12). Thank you SO MUCH! I don't know why I didn't consider this more carefully.