Behind the Curtain
July 6th, 2009 by FiddledeedeeI enjoy a good deal of anonymity as a blogger. And by enjoy, I mean that I can go to Wal•Mart resembling death on toast, and with the exception of a few local friends (who are use to me looking like that), I can go unnoticed. Happily.
I fiercely guard the privacy of my family by not giving out our last name, or the city that we live in. I also don’t post pictures of my kids. (Sometimes I wish I could, though, BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY CUTE.)
It’s a very personal blogging decision that everyone has to make for their own family. And since Fiddledaddy makes a living as an undercover spy/agent for a super secret faction of the F.B.I. that deals in criminal mischief and whatnot, we have found it best not to reveal too much.
I’m lying. He doesn’t make a living at it, he does it totally for free.
Anyhoo. I don’t even post pictures of the kids on Facebook. Because we’re just weirdos cautious that way.
Sometimes though, I wish I could be a wee bit more forthcoming.
Not long ago, I ran a giveaway on my review blog. I e-mailed the winner and asked for her to send me her name and address so I could forward it to the client.
We e-mailed each other back a forth a bit, and she was in a quandary about which address to use as she was going to be moving within a couple of weeks of the contest. More e-mails passed, and the more we corresponded, I realized that we lived in the same town. And I shared that information with her. More correspondence. Then we realized that we had been attending the same church for the last two years.
In fact, her husband regularly helped out with Awana, and had even aided me in my class when I was in desperate need of a tall, strong, male presence.
We quickly e-mailed family pictures back and forth.
And we were all, OH MY GOSH, I KNOW YOU!!! I KNOW YOUR KIDS!!!!
She had just attended our end of the year Awana celebration and we were sitting in the same room, just feet away from each other. Had no clue.
And to make all of this more bizarre, she told me that she had started reading my blog a few years ago while they were still living in California. Then she moved here to Armpit, Florida and we were practically neighbors. Another 2 years went by and we’ve been attending the same church, traveling in the same circles, yet we had no idea.
I kind of think people would not recognize me without the pink turban and cucumbers.
I had hoped to be able to run her down at church to hug her neck just before they moved, but I was sidelined on her last Sunday at church with sick kids at home.
We still correspond, and she’ll likely read Fiddledeedee when she has nothing better to do. Hopefully, I can now bring her a little piece of news from home now and again. And she’ll completely understand why I need to grab a bottle of Excedrin before I discuss Awana issues.
The few times I’ve been able to peek out from behind the curtain of my blog, I’ve been so blessed to have met some wonderful women. Both readers and other bloggers.
It really is such a small world. After all.
Posted in My Life as I See It | 12 Comments »
July 6th, 2009 at 4:41 am
I love reading the Blog Rolls and seeing that we all regularly enjoy the same blogs. I have NO idea how I came to be a regular reader of you, BooMama, BigMama, Lots of Scotts, Kelly’s Corner, Antique Mama, Rockes in my Dryer etc….but I know during this summer of “in-house” vacation with my husband being cared for by Hospice that these blogs breathe life into my heart. It is a small world, after all.
July 6th, 2009 at 5:59 am
I love small world stories!
I have one….my grandbaby arrived 6 weeks early and got to stay in the incubator (she is healthy, just little) for a few days. We went to see her and I’m oogling her adorable self through the glass when the nurse asks if we would like a close up look (the daddy was with us). I kept looking at the nurse, she looked so familiar…..finally she said something. So we did the “how might I know you” dance and discovered……that about 17 years ago she would come to my office regarding a school scholarship AND that she had worked with my mom (my mom’s been gone 9 years)! So crazy! I left knowing our little grandbaby was in VERY good hands!
It truly is a small world!
July 6th, 2009 at 6:30 am
I simply assumed the turban and cucumbers were your daily wear. I’m simply shocked to find out they aren’t!
I just recently decided to lift that curtain a wee bit more, but am still not including real names. It’s a little silly, I know–if anyone who’s met me finds my site, they’ll recognize me and my kidlets–but at least no one can google my real name and get my blog popping up!
July 6th, 2009 at 8:19 am
I think it’s a wise decision on your part–and also apparently very successful!
July 6th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
I’m one of those that just tells it all and I show photos. So far so good. I’ve actually met quite a few of my blogging buddies in person and I can say, without exception, every single one of them has been exactly as they are on their blog. Amazing, when you think about it. But….recently I was in a local restaurant that I’ve mentioned on my blog and a very nice lady came up and asked if we were Kat and George. It turns out she lives in Indiana (we’re in Florida) and is a lurker on my blog. She knew so much about me and I didn’t even know she existed. It was kinda weird. Don’t get me wrong though, she was VERY nice. Anyway, it got me thinking.
Good post!
Hmmmmm….wonder if we live nearby each other???
Hugs!
Kat
July 6th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
It’s hard to know where to draw the line. I post pics of my kids on FB and use their real names. But, I don’t accept friend requests from just anyone. On my blog, I will post pictures once in awhile, but not use their names. Kat’s story does make me a bit nervous!!
July 6th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Wait a minute. You don’t usually go around with a pink turban and cucumbers? Heh, go figure.
Seriously, I think sometimes I share too much. I often wonder if I should take a step back but then I merrily go on my way, sharing too much.
Kiy @ RC&T
July 7th, 2009 at 7:14 am
Yes, I do read Fiddledeedee… even when my house is still not box free from the move to VA, and I too wish we could have run into one another at church before the move… but know I read in CA, and I read in FL, and I’m reading in VA… and I’l be reading wherever the Air Force sends us!
Maybe they’ll send us back to the armpit 
Blessings,
Julie
July 7th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
yeah, and we met and you loved me and everything.
July 7th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
And I’m not the Hoosier who stalked Kat. Just so everyone knows.
July 8th, 2009 at 5:49 am
Linda,
YES MA’AM! If you’ll recall I jumped you and made you sit down and eat breakfast with me and Antique Mommy. There was no escape! (insert maniacal laughter)
July 8th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
I would totally know you in the stocking though.