Internet Safety: Did I Go Too Far?
That’s me, last week, at Park Guell, in BARCELONA.
I just spent three weeks visiting family in Israel, and taking advantage of Israel’s proximity to Europe for a short yet fabulous trip to Barcelona.
I never told you about my vacation. Instead, I said I was going to be busy for a while, and blog less. I decided to keep my vacation a secret because of this post, that says one should NOT disclose on the Internet that their house is going to be empty.
It was hard not to share my adventures with you. I do plan to publish a couple of short posts about my vacation - there were a few things that I saw and experienced that sparked some thoughts that I would like to share with you - but I really wanted to tell you about it WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING. I especially wanted to tweet stuff, and held myself back with great difficulty.
What do you think? Next time I go on vacation, should I let you know? Was I being overly careful?
Do you let your readers know when you go away on vacation? Does it ever occur to you that by doing so you are in fact advertising that your house will be empty, or do you assume blogs are NOT where thieves get their leads on where to steal?
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Scott McIntyre responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 4:40 am →
I love the Jackie O’ look, Vered!
Perhaps ever-so-slightly over-incognito…
Seriously though, you make excellent points regarding how much of their off-blog a blogger should reveal. You just never know who might use this information once it is in the public domain.
Like you, I also use my face image in my online presence which, after Cath Lawson’s recent post, has made me think of issues relating to an online profile versus offline familiarity.
Ultimately, I guess it all comes down to your own assessment of personal safety risks in your own local community- and, possibly, further afield.
Al at 7P responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 5:20 am →
Hi Vered,
Wow, I never really thought about that. I think when it comes to safety, it’s hard to gauge when a precaution is going too far. I think it’s OK either way. If you go on vacation and you know that the world also knows, it can be hard to enjoy the peace of mind while on vacation. I think that having a home security system and automatic timed lights might be enough to give would-be thieves some pause, even if they know you’re on vacation.
Al at 7P’s last blog post..How To Work On Something You Hate
Robin responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 5:34 am →
Hi Vered - I’m not saying when we are away, for the same reason. So I don’t think you were being overly careful. Absolutely lovely photo!
Robin’s last blog post..Is The World Getting Better Or Worse?
Laurie | Express Yourself to Success responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 5:43 am →
Thanks for the tip, Vered; it’s something that I never thought about before. It’s good information and I’ll pass it around. I guess this is relevant for email autoresponders for people who work at home and are away on vacation; don’t say you’re out of town, just not working in the office for a week.
For me, I’ve got a house full of cats so I usually have someone staying at my place while I’m away. Nonetheless, I think I’ll think twice about broadcasting the news.
PS. I hope you had a great trip!
Laurie | Express Yourself to Success’s last blog post..Social Skills: Get the Most Out of Your Practice Time
Amanda - The Mom Crowd responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 5:53 am →
Hi Vered, I just had this very discussion with my friend two days ago. She had made a point not to disclose that she was going to the National Down Syndrome Conference in Boston before she went. While another of her friends disclosed on her blog what hotel she would staying in.
For me - I would still rather blog about my trip while we are there for my friends and family that enjoy keeping up with us. Maybe I would create a temporary blog and just email my friends the link. Who knows. I know that my personal blog is out there, but I don’t promote it and it gets really low traffic. So I think I would still blog about my trip. But if I had large numbers of traffic, then I would definitely be more careful.
Amanda - The Mom Crowd’s last blog post..My Favorite Four T.V. Moms
hyrcan responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 7:13 am →
Only you can gauge if you were “overly” careful.
I struggle with privacy, I don’t like to share much, but I want to participate in everything. Kinda conflicts with the whole “social media” thing. But that’s why I have a private server that I host everything on. Though I have recently posted images on flickr and youtube. :p
The amount security and privacy we apply to our loved ones, ourselves and possessions is our own concern. Something that works for me, may not give you the same sense of security/privacy. I would certainly never advocate something that doesn’t give people the sense of security/privacy.
If I told you it was no big deal, you should have told us ’cause nothing would have happened… and you weren’t convinced, you wouldn’t have had the same sense of security/privacy as I would have. You’re holiday in Israel and trip to Spain would have been miserable. The entire time you may have been wrought with worry. Is your house getting broken into? Are your loved ones safe? Are the paparazzi going to hassle you everywhere you go with questions about your internet fame?
We do what we feel we need to in order to protect what we can.
That said, here’s a few things you can do that may give you some piece of mind and allow you to share that you’re going on vacation. (but remember, it’s you that needs to feel secure)
Vacation in a time warp. Sure, let people know you’re going, but you don’t have to give exact dates. Que up some posts to be published (automatically or on the go) while you’re away, then share the vacation… There’s a time difference anyway, why should it only be a few hours?
Two words… House. Sitters. Even if you don’t blog, or ever tell anyone about your vacation, this is a good idea. A lot of thieves don’t rob a house because they over hear you at the store, or mall, or blog, that you’re going out of town. They drive around neighborhoods looking for houses with nothing going on. They check a couple nights around “dinner” time… or times that people should be there doing things. When they don’t see anything… They knock.
Having a neighborhood kid come over eat your food, watch your tv, leave our AC running, for 20bucks a night or something (just a guess), will deter would be burglars. Bonus if you have a pet, they can feed it (tack on a bit more for pet sitting as well).
Tell Someone yes. really. Tell someone. Tell your neighbors, let your local Police Department know. So when they see a strange cargo van back up into your driveway, they’ll know something fishy. Of course, if you have a house sitter… make sure you let whoever you tell know about that. Nothing more embarrassing that having your house sitter arrested for braking and entering.
Forget a child On that holiday trip, it’s always good to forget a child, preferably your youngest. They have been shown to provide good home security in the event of a burglary.
Now! On with the crazy stories and awesome photos!
hyrcan’s last blog post..Not Bad Ass
Jan responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 7:23 am →
I’m not so cautious. My husband was in law enforcement for nearly 30 years, and one thing we learned was if you’re going to be burglarized, there’s a good chance it’ll be some one from your neighborhood, who happens to notice that you’re gone. Most often burgalry is a crime of opportunity. Seldom do theives travel a great distance to get the family jewels; unless you’re rich and famous with tons of jewels.
Since we don’t fall into those catagories, we’re not so cautious. We take normal precations; stop the newspapers and mail, let trusted neighbors know our plans, have some one walk thru the house regularly to check for anything unusual, such as a water leak, etc.
Jan’s last blog post..Sky Watch Friday
Jill responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 7:50 am →
I think you did the right thing. But whenever you post a photo of yourself, I worry that you are setting yourself up for some serious trouble with a stalker. It COULD happen, you know.
Dot H. responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 7:58 am →
Good question. I’d say better to err on the side of safety, and the tips from Jan are good ones. I always try to make it look as though I’m still home, with lights on different timers and people coming in.
Next time, why not blog the whole trip, but save them all as drafts, and then post them after you get back? That way, the posts will still have the immediacy of just getting there for us, and only you will feel that they’re outdated when they appear.
Andre Kibbe responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 8:12 am →
What Dot said: chronicle the trip in real time, and post it retroactively. As far as what counts as “too far,” you’re approach didn’t sound unreasonable; in fact, it probably created more suspense than anything else. But Jan’s probably right. Most would-be burglars are probably unwilling to make the effort to travel (after all, there’s a certain lack of initiative you need to be a thief), especially when it’s unclear whether or not the contents of the house would make the risk worthwhile.
Andre Kibbe’s last blog post..Lists, Trees and Maps: Three Fundamentals for Externalized Thinking
Marelisa responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 8:33 am →
I knew you were in Israel because I was checking my traffic stats right after you left a comment and I saw the Israeli flag (and I read in a comment you left at Joel’s that your parents-in-law are in Telaviv). So I thought: “Oh, look, Vered is in Israel”. he, he. I didn’t tell anyone though
Barcelona is beautiful, I hope you had a great time (never been to Israel).
Marelisa’s last blog post..What is Love?
Aunt Becky responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 9:06 am →
I tend to not be overly worried about that stuff. Partially because I assume that no one would go to the trouble of finding out precisely where I live. And partially because there will always be someone at my home.
But, that said, you need to do what’s most comfortable for you.
ironman responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 9:10 am →
Sounds a little paranoid, but hey, better safe than sorry.
Urban Panther responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 9:33 am →
Hmmmm….I did mention in my blog that I would be away in Montreal, before I left. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I figure if someone is going to break in, it’s going to be one of the Yahoo crowd down the street…if they are clever enough to figure out we are away…not someone reading my blog half way across the country/hemisphere/world.
We do the timed light thing, and have the lovely neighbour across the street feed the cats, and bring in the mail. The Lion works for National Defence, and he showed me a very interesting article on how someone can quite easily track your down. Case in point, I also noticed you were in Israel through my stats. Anyway, bottom line, I take basic precautions, then don’t worry about it beyond that.
Looking forward to hearing tid-bits about your trip!
Urban Panther’s last blog post..Dressing to land a man - Part I Undergarments
CharlesP responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 9:56 am →
I can understand the caution, though I think the point somebody made about how thieves get their info is pretty salient. The sort of thief that has the time and resources to find out about house vacancies on blogs is probably not going to bother finding my particular suburb and house and even if they do they’re not going to find too much.
That said I know we’re heading out of town soon, and I’ve tried to be at least a LITTLE vague about the times we’re leaving so it’s not SO obvious. I’ve also tried to use only a PO Box for my domain registrations so that my home address isn’t AS easy to find (though it’s pretty tough to keep that information hidden if somebody REALLY wants to find it).
CharlesP’s last blog post..What are you? I’m Batman.
MomGrind responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 11:22 am →
@ Scott: Thanks. Blush.
Cath’s post made me worried too! Just the thought of being ATTACKED like that… bloggers need to remember that they are not writing just for their friends - bloggers are putting ourselves out there for everyone.
@ Al: Those are good ideas! We mostly rely on our neighbors to keep an eye on the house while we’re away.
@ Robin: Glad to know I’m not a freak for being so careful. Thank you! It’s one of my favorite photos from this trip because it was a very lovely day and I was just so happy.
@ Laurie: “I guess this is relevant for email autoresponders for people who work at home and are away on vacation; don’t say you’re out of town, just not working in the office for a week.” That’s a great tip! Yes, we had a wonderful vacation. I came back jet-lagged, yet very relaxed.
@ Amanda: Thank you. It does make me feel better to realize that I’m not necessarily being paranoid, and that some caution is justified.
@ hyrcan: “Are the paparazzi going to hassle you everywhere you go with questions about your internet fame?” That is such a funny image. Thankfully, I don’t think bloggers ever face this type of harassment. I think even Dooce is not harassed by paparazzi.
My kids are too loud, though, so I don’t think they would make it possible to forget them. 
Love your tip on forgetting a child.
@ Jan: “Most often burgalry is a crime of opportunity. Seldom do theives travel a great distance to get the family jewels; unless you’re rich and famous with tons of jewels.” That makes a lot of sense. Thank you for the perspective.
@ Jill: I know, I know… but I LOVE blogs with photos of the blogger. It makes things more real, and personal, and do you know that last night at the BlogHer event, several people recognized me right away? But I do appreciate your concern.
@ Dot H.: “Next time, why not blog the whole trip, but save them all as drafts, and then post them after you get back?” That’s a GREAT idea. Thanks!
@ Andre: I think that’s exactly what I’ll do next time.
@ Marelisa: That’s amazing! AND it raises an interesting privacy question. Tel Aviv is a vibrant city, full of young gorgeous people. Lots of great food, upscale shopping and late-night partying. It’s like a smaller, cleaner New York. Barcelona is a classic European city, complete with small alleys offering little shops and cafes. It was very crowded in July, and they smoke like crazy, but it was beautiful. Jerusalem is of course a gorgeous historic city. It has amazing character and vibe, and its history speaks for itself. One day, when we finally achieve peace in the Middle East, it will be even better, because you would be able to move around between different Middle Eastern countries and enjoy what each has to offer. I can’t wait for that day, though sadly I’m not sure it will be achieved in my lifetime.
@ Aunt Becky: “I assume that no one would go to the trouble of finding out precisely where I live”. I think you are right. It does make sense.
@ ironman: Exactly.
@ Urban Panther: “Case in point, I also noticed you were in Israel through my stats”. Wow. This is fascinating. I need to blog this. There is no online privacy, is there?
@ CharlesP: I agree that if someone really wants to, they WILL track you down. Scary, but unlikely.
Alik | PracticeThis.com responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 11:43 am →
Vered,
Visiting family is great - i bet your spiritual and emotional reservoirs are filled.
How was the weather?….
Alik | PracticeThis.com’s last blog post..Blog Post Templates – New And Improved Plugin For Windows Live Writer [FREE]
Sarah responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 12:52 pm →
Vered, I do the same thing.
Always have. I’m glad you had a fabulous vacation, and can’t wait to hear and see a little more about it!
Sarah’s last blog post..Are Gas Prices Cramping Your Grocery Shopping Style?
Avani responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 1:08 pm →
I fully agree with what you did. Why take risk? And I am glad you posted this. I am planning for a trip to India. Will keep this in mind then.
I loved your pic.
Avani’s last blog post..Beginner’s Guide To Being Decisive
RJ responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 1:59 pm →
Love the hat Vered
There are some things that you can never be too careful about, one of them is internet safety (i.e. posting your itinerary) The other is starting a car with cat sleeping on the manifold(there are some things you just shouldn’t do, learned this the hard way unfortunately ^_^)
Linda Abbit responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 2:28 pm →
Hi Vered,
Well, you certainly fooled me! Never thought that you were away — especially with the new, popular “staycations” many people are taking this year.
I’ve actually been thinking this over b/c over the next few years I’ll be disappearing occasionally to take our son back & forth to college. I had already decided that I wasn’t going to “announce” my absence on my blog, but still haven’t exactly figured out how I am going to handle this. Your post and comments are more food for thought. Thanks everyone!
Raised in NY, but now living elsewhere, I’m very conscious of what I call my “NY Paranoia.” However, I’m very glad I have it, and like being cautious, or overly so. I think what you did was 100% smart. I’m also super paranoid about identity theft.
Can you or someone explain about how they can track you through *their* stats? Huh? What!!
Bamboo Forest responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 2:45 pm →
This is pretty humorous. That being said, you actually do have a point. Simply because, people may know you personally, who know your blog - and would then know you’re going to be on vacation.
That being said, your friends are probably not going to rob your house. But I guess someone who knows your friends may?
I can’t answer if you’re being overly careful. This is something only the person themselves can answer! Ones personal safety in this matter is a personal assessment! Glad to hear your house was safe and sound while you were gone.
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post..Realizing You’re a Magician Can Create Magic in Your Life
Bamboo Forest responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 2:51 pm →
I’m also amazed Marelisa Knew where you were!!!
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post..Realizing You’re a Magician Can Create Magic in Your Life
MomGrind responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 3:22 pm →
@ Alik: Weather wasn’t too bad. It was a vast improvement over previous years, when we visited in August. Still, Ido and I laughed at the forecast being, almost every single day, “warmer than normal conditions”.
@ Sarah: Glad I’m not alone in my paranoia.
@ Avani: I should add India to my list of places to visit before I die.
@ RJ: Hey, don’t make fun of my hat!!! It’s my favorite.
@ Linda: “I’m also super paranoid about identity theft. ” Me too!
Re: other sites tracking my location, I have mo idea how it works but I’ve seen sites where they have “recent visitors” on the sidebar complete with little flags of the visitors’ location.
@ Bamboo Forest: Yes, the house is fine. And I garee: Marelisa’s comment was disturbing, not because SHE knew where I was (she’s a friend) but because it means anyone could have known. As I said, a BIG privacy issue.
Stephanie responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 4:23 pm →
I’m the same way. I recently took a trip to the Bay Area to look at the possibility of living with my sister when she buys a house, but didn’t breathe a word until I got back. You just never know who’s out there and it is much too possible to find a webmaster’s home address in many cases.
If internet access will be poor for me on a trip, I ask one of my sisters to moderate my forum, and have some blog posts scheduled so that everything on the site looks pretty normal.
Stephanie’s last blog post..Museum Free Days - Free Fun Friday
Ricardo Bueno responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 6:38 pm →
Like you said, I never really considered a thief might pull me in as a lead for blogging about how I”m going on vacation and my house will be empty. In fact, really write about where I live let alone reveal my true address. But I do see your point in being too revealing about your more personal information.
I think you can blog about your adventures and tweet about them without being too revealing. In other words, don’t disclose your hotel room number and phone number, and if you’re going to tweet about getting together at a local cafe, hey, at least it’s local so you’re in the safety of the public.
Ricardo Bueno’s last blog post.."We All Make Our Own Sandwiches"
RC responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 8:43 pm →
I totally agree with not advertising that you are away.
I’m a mom blogger. I share pics of my child. Our blog title even contains are very common last names.
I don’t use our first names at all. I don’t list our town. I don’t mention the state, although it could be deduced with a little reading, but it would be hard to pinpoint my exact location. I don’t mention my exact schedule. I don’t start blogging about trips until after the fact, for the most part (or right at the end as I’m coming home).
I’ve mentioned to other mom bloggers that I will probably pull back from using as many photos of my child as he gets older and more distinctive in looks.
It is sad we have to do this, but what do you do? I know people who share EVERYTHING, and it worries me somewhat, but I think it has to be a personal decision on each blogger’s/person’s part.
I think you did the right thing.
p.s. Just was passing through from Urban Panther’s blog…
RC’s last blog post..Can I tell him who is calling?
Shilpan | successsoul.com responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 9:26 pm →
Vered -
I believe that you’ve done the right thing. As much you respect us and feel compassionate to share every detail of your life, we all should know that internet is a wide open media with all kinds of characters browsing and looking for every bit of info to their advantage.
Shilpan
Shilpan | successsoul.com’s last blog post..Warren Buffett’s 7 Secrets for Living a Happy and Simple Life
Marelisa responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 10:18 pm →
Sitemeter lets you see where your visitors are connecting to your blog from (city and country). I noticed Vered had just left a comment, I went in to check my stats, I saw the Isareli flag, and I just put two and two together (she often mentions she was raised in Israel, it’s summer vacation in USA –when people usually travel–, she posted she wouldn’t be blogging so often for two or three weeks, she mentioned in a comment her parents-in-law were in Tel Aviv = Vered in Israel).
Marelisa’s last blog post..Creativity Extravaganza: 30 Tips, Tools, and Resources
Evelyn Lim responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 10:30 pm →
Hope you had a great time in Barcelona! I visited Barcelona some 6 years ago and boy…did I have a lovely time away from my husband and kids….LOL!! I was there with some friends, taking a much needed break shopping and sight-seeing.
In my opinion, no one can really say whether or not you’ve gone too far in not being public about your plans. It’s all about your comfort level. You’re also protecting your right and your family’s right to privacy. I sure don’t see anything wrong with that.
Maybe next time, you should devise a code like if you’re going away for a holiday, just share that you are closing shop to meditate. That will keep everyone guessing where you are meditating!
Evelyn
Evelyn Lim’s last blog post..Practising Awareness Of The Mind
Sara at On Simplicity responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 11:00 pm →
I’ll be honest–I hadn’t thought about this. I will now, though. It’s not worth the risk to me. An ounce of prevention, right?
And I love Hyrcan’s suggestion! Is there some kind of service where I can rent Macauley Culkin?
Sara at On Simplicity’s last blog post..Three Things I Suck At
DavinaH responds:
Posted: July 18th, 2008 at 11:05 pm →
Hi Vered. You look so chic in that photo. I look forward to hearing more about your travels.
I probably would have done the same thing as you to keep my mind at ease while away. You did mention that you were taking a break out of consideration for your readers. I think that was enough. But, I can understand you wanting to share your travels as they were happening.
DavinaH’s last blog post..Like a Bird
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach responds:
Posted: July 19th, 2008 at 2:36 am →
Safety first, last and in between! I never ever ever let the world know when I go on vacation…heck, I always prepopulate my blog posts so it looks like everything is moseying along as usual!
You can never be too safe online.
Excellent article.
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach’s last blog post..2008 Animal Planet Hero of the Year
MizFit responds:
Posted: July 19th, 2008 at 3:13 am →
NERD ALERT!!
I think you can NEVER be too careful.
Miz.
MizFit’s last blog post..Cue the PROTEIN SHAKE SHAPED confetti!! It’s MizFit’s birthday and…
Cath Lawson responds:
Posted: July 19th, 2008 at 7:49 am →
Hi Vered - You look like you were having a great time. I noticed you hadn’t been around as much but I wouldn’t have guessed you were on vacation. And it was a really smart move not to tell anyone. I’m always careful who I discuss travel plans with - just incase and I’m reluctant to tell visitors exactly when I’m going to be away this year, for the same reasons.
I’ve thought about prewriting some posts, but if I don’t have access to the Internet so much, my regular readers will think it’s a bit odd if I don’t reply to their comments. It really is a tough one.
Thanks for the link by the way.
Cath Lawson’s last blog post..131 Star Bloggers and Their Best Posts
zoe responds:
Posted: July 19th, 2008 at 11:46 am →
Since I blog annonymously, I have never really thought about this. I suppose if I had put my full real name out there associated with my blog, I probably wouldn’t let people know that I was going to be away from home. Then again, my blog doesn’t have the readership of someone like Dooce, so the odds of a thief living nearby reading my blog are pretty slim. And I don’t really have much of value to make breaking into my house worth their effort.
zoe’s last blog post..Mystery
hank responds:
Posted: July 19th, 2008 at 2:38 pm →
Yup! That’s the right thing to do. I’ve heard about people catching on that way as well - I’ve even see it go so far as to randomly dialing numbers to get answering machine messages that said they were away for weeks. If you’re public in any way, I’d warn against letting (except for your neighbors) know that you’re not around!
Hope you had a lot of fun! Sounds like you did!
hank’s last blog post..The Last Taboo: A Journey from Silence to Truth
MomGrind responds:
Posted: July 19th, 2008 at 5:00 pm →
@ Stephanie: “and have some blog posts scheduled so that everything on the site looks pretty normal” - yup, that’s what I did.
@ Ricardo: It’s true that it’s probably possible to find a balance.
@ RC: “I’ve mentioned to other mom bloggers that I will probably pull back from using as many photos of my child as he gets older and more distinctive in looks.” - this is an issue that many mom bloggers struggle with every time they post.
@ Shilpan: It’s true - you can never know who will end up reading your blog.
@ Marelisa: You’re smart.
@ Evelyn: Yes, I had a great time. I like the idea of a code!
@ Sara: If you find such a service, please let me know.
@ DavinaH: Thank you!
@ Barbara Ling: I agree that safety must come first.
@ MizFit: You’re not a nerd… you are just smart.
@ Cath: I did have a great time. And after reading the comments, I feel like I did do the right thing.
@ zoe: I guess it’s different when you blog anonymously. I struggles a lot with this decision. I don’t want to be too paranoid, but I also don’t want to be too trusting or naive.
@ hank: Thank you for the support! Reading through these comments is really helpful.
Lin Burress responds:
Posted: July 19th, 2008 at 6:56 pm →
I debated this very issue as my Staycation approached, wondering what if anything I should say on my blog, due to the even remote possibility of someone thinking no one was home and attempt to break in. Since we were/still are on a Staycation, I didn’t post any details of what we’d be doing or where we’d be going throughout the week. Instead, I just mentioned that we’re on Staycation and if someone was visiting the site for the first time there are a few favorite posts listed for people to check out.
I believe it’s better to be cautious and protect ourselves as much as humanly possible, because we just don’t know who all is reading our posts and what types of unsavory characters would like nothing better than to mess with someone’s lives and homes.
Lin Burress’s last blog post..Telling It Like It Is is on Staycation
Kelly@SHE-POWER responds:
Posted: July 20th, 2008 at 2:52 am →
Hey there Vered
I think if this solution felt right for you, then it is. As you can guess, it never crossed my mind to keep my 4 week European vacation secret. I did have preventative measures in place for people locally who might notice the house was empty, but I never thought of my blog.
I tend to be a very open person and I guess i am not particularly paranoid. That’s my nature so I think it’s hard for me to blog in a different fashion. I do use my name and post pictures, but I have never said where I live and my family’s name is different to mine.
An article I read not long ago did make me look through google to see what information people could find out about me and I was pretty satisfied with what I discovered. I am selective as to who I add to facebook because I am more personal there, but I may cull some of that information in the future since I don’t use facebook very much. That said, if my blog doubled in popularity I would get a silent number to eliminate another avenue to find me.
It may sound airy fairy, but I work on the principle that what you give out and expect from life and people is what you mostly get (for more on this see Abraham-Hicks). I do see the best in people, I expect to attract healthy, secure relationships and situations and I rely very much on my instincts in life. My instincts have saved me from some sticky situations and as a result I trust my gut 100% now. However, I think it’s easier to be relaxed in Australia. I don’t think younger people are that paranoid here. We have a safe, free and wealthy country with little big things to worry about other than the economy, which every country seems to worry about.
So, as long as my simple approach continues to serve me I don’t see myself changing it.
Kelly
Kmommy @ The Poopie Patrol responds:
Posted: July 20th, 2008 at 10:03 am →
No, I don’t think you were being too careful. I never post when I’m going to be going on a trip somewhere… even on my family and friends blog. You just never know, and you can’t be too careful. I post about my adventures after I get back home
It is really hard not to say anything ahead of time, but it’s just being cautious.
Kmommy @ The Poopie Patrol’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: Too Hot for Clothes!
Ellen Wilson responds:
Posted: July 20th, 2008 at 10:57 am →
As long as you know no one knows where you live. But I guess that could be easy to find out for a thief. Hey, have fun in Spain! Let us know how it is. I like travel stories. As you know.
Ellen Wilson’s last blog post..Crossing the Border
Wilson’s Words and Pictures | Spontaneous Memoir Meme responds:
Posted: July 20th, 2008 at 11:30 am →
[…] that is a very nice thing to do. Someone should promote her, too. Thirdly, there is Vered, of MomGrind, who is apparently jetsetting around the world and making me terribly jealous. Now I know why my […]
Natural responds:
Posted: July 20th, 2008 at 3:07 pm →
cool. i have always wanted to go to israel. yeah i do disclose i will be away sometimes, but i don’t worry about it. if people want to, they will rob you while you are at home watching tv. it’s probably not a good thing though to announce you will be away. i always have a neighbor or two watch out for me when i’m not home.
any pictures from the vacation other than the one posted?
Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba) responds:
Posted: July 20th, 2008 at 6:29 pm →
I run the gamut on this one… for long trips, I try not to advertise it. For short trips, I don’t worry as much. That doesn’t make much sense, I know.
I hope you had a good trip. If the photo with this post is any indication, you did.
Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba)’s last blog post..Weekly Winners: July 11-July 19
MomGrind responds:
Posted: July 20th, 2008 at 10:21 pm →
@ Lin: “I believe it’s better to be cautious and protect ourselves as much as humanly possible, because we just don’t know who all is reading our posts”. I agree!
@ Kelly: What an inspiring comment! I guess I AM paranoid. It could be related to growing up in Israel (stress!) and to now living in the U.S. Or it could be just my personality. As I said on my interview over at SHE-POWER, I do believe that the vast majority of people are good - but I am always aware that there is also evil.
@ Kmommy: It IS hard not to say anything! It was torture!
@ Ellen: I’m actually already back.
My next post will include photos and experiences from my trip.
@ Natural: If you ever plan a trip to Israel, be sure to let me know.
@ Rebecca: I did! Will write more about in in future posts.
Barbara Swafford responds:
Posted: July 21st, 2008 at 12:57 am →
Hi Vered,
Aren’t you the hottie? Love the glasses!
I think you did the right thing. Being online we can never be too safe.
Postdating writings is a great idea, but then the issue of comments comes up. If anyone follows their stats close enough, they can figure it out. You just have to hope that those that may want to vandalize your home don’t track you THAT close.
When we leave we always have a house sitter (because of the dogs) plus tell the neighbors, so I don’t worry when we’re away.
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Interview With Lorelle VanFossen - Part 1 - Stay Motivated
Dot H. responds:
Posted: July 21st, 2008 at 6:29 am →
You know, after thinking about it, I don’t really understand. Since I don’t even know what country you live in, how would someone on the Internet figure out which house was going to be empty when you went on vacation?
MomGrind responds:
Posted: July 21st, 2008 at 9:35 am →
@ Barbara: Thank you.
We do tell the neighbors when we leave. They’re great about keeping an eye on things.
@ Dot H.: If someone really wants to, I believe they can locate almost anyone. I myself don’t know all the ways, but I know they exist. As Barbara said though, it is unlikely that someone would go through that much trouble.
Jens Dalsgaard responds:
Posted: July 22nd, 2008 at 5:18 am →
Please do NOT share that with us beforehand. Afterwards is OK. As you blog away, readers will know more and more about you.
But do tell us afterwards.
Jens Dalsgaard’s last blog post..The List to Beat All Lists: Top 20 Productivity Lists to Rock Your Tasks
rebecca responds:
Posted: July 22nd, 2008 at 6:54 pm →
oh, vered, you look so happy and relaxed….*sigh* right now i’m living vicariously through you…
and i read your impressive profile, but liked most of all the interpretation of your name: rose the lion! feminine, yet strong. your parents gave you a good name!
xoxo
rebecca
rebecca’s last blog post..My Dark Knight
MomGrind responds:
Posted: July 22nd, 2008 at 9:20 pm →
@ Jens: Makes sense.
@ Rebecca: I never thought about it, but it’s true: feminine, yet strong. Thank you.
Max Forlani responds:
Posted: July 23rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm →
Great point Vered.
Never considered theft option via a post! I never reveal any pictures of me (so far) nor my address or house pictures on my blog, from a stalking point of view. But this tip certainly counts.
I’m sure professional thieves got their hands on a laptop by now.
Cheers,
Max
Max Forlani’s last blog post..Twice Moving Out, Once Moving In
MomGrind responds:
Posted: July 24th, 2008 at 7:42 pm →
@ Max: “I’m sure professional thieves got their hands on a laptop by now.” I sure hope they don’t!
Teddi responds:
Posted: August 5th, 2008 at 12:14 pm →
Besides physical safety (the concern about someone invading your empty house while you’re gone), there’s also the security of your online assets. David Airey, a great blogger and graphic designer, mentioned on his blog that he was going on vacation to India for a month.
His domain was hijacked using a security flaw in Gmail (which has since been exposed and–I think–fixed). As his blog had built a significant readership and he received a lot of business through this medium, it was quite a crippling blow to lose his domain. His blissful trip exploring India with his girlfriend was arrested by an urgent attempt to get his domain back! You can read the whole story on his blog.
Just another thing to consider!
MomGrind responds:
Posted: August 5th, 2008 at 1:18 pm →
@ Teddi: WOW! Just finished reading both the original story and the story of how it’s been resolved. Thank you so much for adding this info. SCARY!