It's a funny thing, really.
Way back when, in a far away land called January 2010, I decided to revisit my blog that I had "started" eight months earlier. I need not remind all of you how much I despise winter, but it turns out, the dreaded season is good for some things. One of which being blogging. The other pros I have yet to figure out, but I'm sure they exist. Maybe
So on that cold, depressing day, I typed in my web address (won't lie, had to do some digging in the brain archives to remember the clever little title) and was shocked to find a comment AND a follower (what up, Helene). That comment and one follower inspired me to actually commit to blogging, and here I am, 9 months later, still going at it... usually. So, you all skidaddle on over to Ms. Helene's pad and tell her thanks, cuz if it wasn't for her, this blog would probably still be a pretty background with an amusing title (if I do say so myself.).
Anyramble...
Now, even though I made this blog a "public" blog, I never really anticipated people in my real life reading it. I put a little "announcement" about it once, maybe twice, on facebook, but quickly decided I didn't want everyone and their mother all up in my business. Furthermore, I never anticipated more than, say, 5 people ever reading it. Clearly, guesstimation is not my strong point.
Turns out, that one (or two) announcement(s) on FB caught the eye of a friend's mother. She clued in a mutual family friend, who clued in a mutual family friend, who clued in a mutual family friend, etc. (I'm talking to you, Mrs. A and Euchre/Derbyshire gang). And then my cousin put a link to my blog on her blog, so her dad and uncle and grandpa found my blog (hello, Jim/Joe/Uncle Mac). And then I clued my mom in, who clued my neighbor in, who clued her daughter in, who clued the Dalai Lama in, and now the whole world is reading my blog!
OK, fine, the Dalai Lama doesn't read my blog.
Or does he? {said in creepy Keith Morrison voice. That's for you, BFG}
But do you think any of these people could have become, oh I don't know, public followers? Or left a comment? Or freakin' clued me in to their reading o' my blog months ago? That's a big, fat negative.
Which brings me to this spring/summer, where practically the entire state of Indi-freakin-ana confessed that they secretly read my blog (except not so secretly because I know their IP addresses and other private information, muahaha), and I'm left in an instant state of panic thinking, "Oh S!#^, think Marianne, what have you said on your blog? Anything embarrassing? Crazy? Personal? YES TO ALL?!?!?! CRAP!"
And then I realized, what's done is done and it's all out of my control.
Well, that and the fact that now all these wonderful people know for certain that my parent's aren't full of it when they brag about their amazing Marianne.
Kidding.
Sort of.
But seriously, could you creepy secret readers publicly de-lurk on this here blog? At least once? Otherwise, you're just a creepy secret reader and I might have to air your dirty laundry. I'm talking to you, aguyfromhighsch00l. Let thyself be known!
Also, real-life friends, you better be open minded when reading what I have to say. I have zero plans to censor myself, now, or ever.
Oh, and thanks to everyone who reads my blog. Creepy secret reader, or not, I appreciate it more than you know.
Comments
also, it does sort of un-nerve me when i see how many people have searched my name + blog on google. obviously i have some lurkers who know my blog is out in cyberspace but dont know how to get to it. creep show! haha :)
here is to hoping your lurkers un-lurk!
Oh and just curious, how can you tell what someones IP address is? That seems way too complicated for me to comprehend.
I'd like to thank Helene for inspiring you to blog, because I would have never met my cosmic twin, otherwise!!!!
Oh, and, I'm in the same boat. I *know* there are people in my town reading thanks to Google Analytics, but I don't know who they are. Sometimes, that stresses me out, lol.
How can you get the IP information?
You can change your settings if you want that those lurkers cant follow you. BUT, if you are like me, and I suspect you are, you want SOMEONE to read. I wish my lurkers would be public too. I still only have 9 followers...but I had over 450 hits last month - and while I know my 9 followers read, they don't read that much and do not live in most of my viewing area. (isn't it fun - those blogger stats?)
Yeah, I think sometimes about posting more, ahem, personal things on my blog, too. But then I remember my mom reads it, and she's very judgey. I'm sure your mom is very cool (I mean, she did drug/booze up your dog!), but mine would be like, "OMG, I can't believe you put THAT online for the entire world to see! OMG, OMG, OMG! What is everyone gonna think?"
So yeah.
I think I just took this comment in a completely different direction than you intended. Ah well.
No really, I did read the whole thing. I don't like creepers, but I figure it's the price we pay for putting our thoughts on the interwebs. I'm good with it.
Funny side note: This time my secret code to post this is "perps." I'm totally serious!
I'm glad you came back to blogging...you have definitely added spice to the blogosphere!
Thanks for your kind words. I couldn't bear not be able to respond to comments while I was away. I am grateful for them.