Lately, it seems like every single day someone who I know finds out about my blog. Now, EVERYONE knows, besides the people who I work with. I need to keep it that way for now…
I say that I’m no longer anonymous because all of my friends know, and because I am easy to search on Google. I’ve also started posting more and more pictures everyday. I also plan on sharing our engagement photos once those are ready. The engagement photos will be my first official photos released on my blog that show my face. I know, you guys cannot wait at all. The suspense is killing you!
I am completely joking of course 🙂 Also, sprinkled throughout this post are comments of what readers said in my last Should I still be anonymous post.
The other day, we were over at W’s friend’s house and his friend said “Hey Michelle, I heard you have some writing thing going on.” And also recently, someone ambushed me (of course I am using that term loosely!) and showed me my blog on their phone. ON THEIR PHONE! What was I supposed to say?
And then just last week, I received an email from a reader, and she was telling me that my blog is helpful. We then started talking back and forth and she actually went to the same high school as me, and she lives in the same town as me! Small world, right? I feel like I have nowhere to run now!
Everyone knows about my blog now. W’s parents asked me for my blog URL the other day, and my friends have found it all also. Probably doesn’t help that you can just type in “Michelle finance blog” and it’s on the first page!
I have W to blame for all of this.
He kept blabbing to everyone and everyone kept asking him for hints about my blog. Of course he gave enough hints and now everyone knows about it! Even though everyone knows, I honestly don’t think too many people read it. Not too many people have really brought up anything that I have talked about in a blog post.
Haha, but that is a good thing. I like not feeling like I am always hiding from everyone. Yes, I do not have any direct pictures of my face up yet, but I still want to be safe when it comes to my job. However, I am friends with many bloggers on Facebook and on my personal Instagram, so many of you already know what I look like. And most of you already know my last name.
I was anonymous in the beginning because I used my blog as a way to vent about the things going on in my life – the passing of my dad, the horrible things someone else in my family did, and so on. It was easy to talk about things on here, but now I’m moving past all of that, so it only seems normal to be public now.
Positives of being more public:
- I’m not as mysterious. I’ve heard a lot of people say that they would rather read a blog where the person is open about who they are. Well, this is something that I am working on. I can’t wait until I make the 100% freelancing switch and am then able to post awesome pictures of myself everyday 😛
- I don’t feel like I’m hiding from my friends and family. This is number one on my list. I felt like I was living a double life for so long. Now, I talk about my blog so often that they are probably annoyed.
- It’s more fun! And it’s easier to blog publicly. I’m no longer trying to hide things that could potentially reveal who I am.
Risks of being public with my blog:
- Financials are now public. Do I really want to post our net worth on my blog anymore? What about my extra income updates and things about our jobs?
- Certain things that I’ve said about my family and the situations that I gone through have been edited. I would hate for you-know-who to see what I’ve written. Even though she is in the wrong and has done absolutely horrible things to me, and I am in the right, I would hate to go down that direction and open everything back up. Right now, I am just moving on going forward in life…
- Nothing is private. This is a given. Everyone will know everything about my life now!
- Of course, there is always the risk that my work will find my blog and read my passion or money post. That would be an awkward conversation…
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I have never blogged anonymously. I understand the reasoning behind it for some though.
I had good reasoning before, but now I’m trying to forget all of the bad things in my life.
I’m happy being anonymous. I’m a pretty shy/private person. 🙂
🙂 Nothing wrong with being anon!
I’m not anonymous but I don’t share every detail of my life either. I understand why people share their monthly incomes and debt levels but I’m not prepared to go there yet. Even though I’ve chosen to share my thoughts openly to the world, I still long for some privacy in certain aspects of my life.
I’m not sure what I will do about sharing our financials. Time will tell!
Haha he is a blabber mouth! He says that he can keep secrets, but he can’t.
That’s good Jake. I have a lot to think about.
Haha he’s just a secret teller!
Congrats! I am not anonymous but don’t talk about my blog. Even my BF doesn’t know about it and he spends 24/7 with me. Only the curious (or creepy) people who googled me know about it.
WHAT?! That is funny that he doesn’t know haha
I’d like to be able to be 100% public on my blog, but I still do it somewhat anonymously and keep certain details private (like which banks I keep my money in) for the sake of security. Like you, there are no (clear) pictures of my face on my blog.
Yeah I definitely wouldn’t share bank names.
Hey Michelle
I am semi-anonymous – I say semi because while I have a picture of myself and lots of financial details about my life. The anonymous part comes from only telling three people in my life about my blog and only two read it sporadically. I think you do what is right for you. I’m looking forward to seeing your engagement pics though!
Thanks Lindsey! I’m excited to share them.
I’m not anonymous, but I’m also not announcing it to the world. I’ve told people, and for the most part they’re like “oh cool”, maybe ask a few questions, and then forget about it. I think the only person I really know who visits it with any regularity is my brother. One difference between me and you is that I’m not posting detailed financial information. But I also think, like Mrs. Pop says in your screenshot above, that even if you’re anonymous, if you stick around long enough then people will probably be able to figure out who you are.
True. Thanks Matt!
I’m not plastering my full name out there….but if someone figures out who I am, I’m fine with that. My real name is unique, so initials are nice. which is the main reason why I don’t use my real name, but it is real…everything I post is me and Tim…even my initials.
Awesome!
I tell people I write but I always secretly hope they don’t go looking for the url lol
haha you are funny!
Good for you Michelle! I wrote about two posts before I figured out that being anonymous takes too much work and I am too lazy for it. 🙂
Yes, it is definitely hard work!
I’m not anonymous, except that nobody at work knows about it. It wouldn’t be difficult for them to find me, though!
It’s pretty easy to find me too.
I struggled with this at first, but now am pretty open. Although, my blog is pretty new, so the chances of someone I know stumbling upon it is pretty remote. I try to keep the things I write pretty positive in regards to work and friends/family, so I don’t think I have an issue there. But, if I were planning my escape from my company :), I would definitely be more paranoid about who discovered my site.
Haha yes I am definitely paranoid.