Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy privacy here?

ok this is a bit paranoid. sometimes I overthink stuff.

I don't think I've written anything bad about any one but I was thinking would it be weird if someone from our schoolm like the gifted teacher was reading this? or a gossipy parent? any body wonder about this? what if they figured out from info it's me? It's a nice feeling to just say what I want but?

I've wondered about this too. A teacher or parent from my daughters school, or dance classes would figure it out in an instant who I was. But I kind of figure they wouldn't be looking at this forum unless they suspected they had a gifted child themselves -- so it's all good

I don't think you are paranoid.

Being on-line is a fact of life these days, with all the inherent risks. But an incredibly valuable resource such as this (and the totally cool people who "live" here) is worth the risk of a little over-exposure.

Besides... my name's not Dandy, I actually live in Colorado, not Oregon, my son is really a girl and she has no siblings. I'm his mom, not his dad and every family member mentioned is pure fiction. We are actually from a large district in a large suburb with dozens of elementary schools.

Or not. Or maybe a mixture of each.

(Maybe yes... maybe no... you never can tell with online personalities!)

So, no, I don't think you need to be concerned. Just keep personal details as vague as possible.

And whatever you do, don't worry about that black sedan parked across the street!

Pat, er, I mean, Dandy

And if you ever accidentally post something, you can always change it up, or even make it disappear. I imagine that nice fella at the bottom of every screen, Mark D., could probably "disappear" your entire existence if needed.

Dandy

I don't want a stranger to find me on the internet and then be able to find me in real life. So I keep details like my real name off the internet. But I'm totally fine with my friends being able to identify me if they stumble onto this site (or any other one on which I post). I do make myself pretty identifiable to a friend, especially a friend who has read a lot of stuff I've written.

I have also stumbled onto things that I somehow knew were written by my RL friends, and it has always surprised me, but I've never been offended or anything. The internet is a small place sometimes.

I am a little bit nervous about my in laws finding something I've written (as I do sometimes need to vent), but they are very unlike me and very unlikely to visit any of the same sites as me. I guess maybe that's the key: anyone who knows you, who visits the same sites as you, will probably be enough like you to get it.

Unless you have a stalker.

Dandy you are so funny. thanks! you had me fooled with your great disguise.

Yes! By all means we should be using our 'Party Manners' here. Hey, if I was a journalist, looking to write a provocative article about 'supersmart kids' I'd look right here!

Of course, I try to follow the rule, here and everywhere, never say anything in private that you wouldn't want repeated in public to the person you were talking about. Demanding, but much simpler in the end. When I get snarky, it ususally means that I need a good cry and feel too isolated to get one.

Mark D is very helpful, and if you want to 'start over' you can change your screen name and be more discrete next time. I would miss you, though, OTGM, so do private message me and let me know of your new identity.

After figuring out that my EPGY threads are number one on many of the search engines and knowing that all those people have access to my personal information if they so wished to be mean... I am hoping for the best in people. I try to limit the specific information I give on my children but figure with technology what it is today people can zoom in on my house from space with the right website and my listed phone number so...

Lol!

I've lurked on sites for school admins and teachers...