Who is the most paranoid about online info?
Hey gang, I could use your advice.
Last time I posted, I was on my way to a root canal. That went… as well as can be expected. The day took a severe downhill turn after that.
That night, we found out that a very dear friend died while serving with his Navy Reserve unit in Kuwait. ("Died," not "was killed.")
This is always a shocking scenario, whether it happens around town or around the world. People you know AREN'T supposed to die; it's supposed to happen to Someone Else.
At any rate, I didn't post anything here because:
(1) What do you say?
(2) I didn't want my blog to be the way anybody found out.
Anyway, in the course of making sure everybody had heard the news and coordinating the services and remembrances, it came to light that most of my Texas friends now keep in touch via Facebook. I did not belong to any social networking sites (just business networking), and in fact was quietly boycotting Facebook because I didn't like the fact that, when I would receive a link to somebody's page, it wouldn't let me look unless I signed up.
So I signed up for a Facebook account, but not under my real name. Besides being wary of having my name just Out There ("You mean it just spills out into people's living rooms?"), I'd heard stories of at least two people who lost job offers because of social networking postings/pictures.
So my question, aimed at the more paranoid among you, is: should I switch it to my real name? It would make friend requests much simpler, as I won't have to add an explanatory message each time, and people who never would have found me under the alias will now be able to find me.
And therein lies the rub.
Comments, suggestions, personal experiences welcome. Just click the little comment link ("skritch the kitty's chin") down there.
Last time I posted, I was on my way to a root canal. That went… as well as can be expected. The day took a severe downhill turn after that.
That night, we found out that a very dear friend died while serving with his Navy Reserve unit in Kuwait. ("Died," not "was killed.")
This is always a shocking scenario, whether it happens around town or around the world. People you know AREN'T supposed to die; it's supposed to happen to Someone Else.
At any rate, I didn't post anything here because:
(1) What do you say?
(2) I didn't want my blog to be the way anybody found out.
Anyway, in the course of making sure everybody had heard the news and coordinating the services and remembrances, it came to light that most of my Texas friends now keep in touch via Facebook. I did not belong to any social networking sites (just business networking), and in fact was quietly boycotting Facebook because I didn't like the fact that, when I would receive a link to somebody's page, it wouldn't let me look unless I signed up.
So I signed up for a Facebook account, but not under my real name. Besides being wary of having my name just Out There ("You mean it just spills out into people's living rooms?"), I'd heard stories of at least two people who lost job offers because of social networking postings/pictures.
So my question, aimed at the more paranoid among you, is: should I switch it to my real name? It would make friend requests much simpler, as I won't have to add an explanatory message each time, and people who never would have found me under the alias will now be able to find me.
And therein lies the rub.
Comments, suggestions, personal experiences welcome. Just click the little comment link ("skritch the kitty's chin") down there.