Eek! Computer search “outs” me as a blogger
Well, here’s a first: Last Thursday, at Israeli folk dancing,* Basya’s mother told me that her daughter’s ex-boyfriend had spotted the afore-linked post and had e-mailed it to Basya, who had, in turn, forwarded it to her mom, telling her that she’s now famous, too. :) Much as I enjoy the thought of helping to make someone else famous :), I’m a bit unnerved, as a blogger who must remain anonymous in order to continue blogging without getting into trouble with folks from my neighborhood—this is the first time that someone from real life whom I didn’t tell about my blog has found out about it from someone whom I don't even know.
(*Re my approach to folk dancing during Sefirah, see here. I have to admit that I haven't been very good about not free-styling, solo, in a corner during the livelier couples dances.)
(*Re my approach to folk dancing during Sefirah, see here. I have to admit that I haven't been very good about not free-styling, solo, in a corner during the livelier couples dances.)
posted by Shira Salamone at 4:14 PM
5 Comments:
I feel your pain. It has happened to me. Actually, I sometimes consider outing myself just so that I am free of the skulking.
Jack, I certainly hope that this doesn't happen too often. I don't know how long you've been reading this blog, but, in case you don't know this, I can't afford to go public because I've already been threatened with a lawsuit.
I think you underestimate how widely available your blog is. It's on a number of blogrolls,which is how I found it (probably from apikorsus companion). That kind of puts you out there. Don't be upset, but given the huge number of clues you drop (intentionally or not) and your obvious enjoyment in connecting with your commentors (that's a good thing, I'm not chastizing here), I suspect that anyone with a reasonable knowledge of Manhattan geography, jewish and terrestrial, and a good ability to fashion an appropriate search query in google, may be able to figure out who you are. Or get pretty close.
This was the first time I read your entry about needing to remain anonymous from 2005, per your link. As I'm sure others have told you, your heart was in the right place, the problem was in the execution. If its not already obvious, I'm a shul guy, sit on the board (among others) and lately find myself solidly part of the misnagdim of the congregation. But I grew up in a congregation too, where dad reluctantly became president. And I learned, you really need to have respect for the community. And sometimes that means not antagonizing, however sincere your beliefs and regardless of the correctness of your position, and the error of the other guy -- in this case, the rabbi.
If its any consolation, the rabbi didn't have anything for which to sue you. Based on your description, you did nothing actionable.
You really need to find a different congregation. I know how hard that is.
Steve, it's nice to know that I'm a tad well-known, but as for this, "anyone with a reasonable knowledge of Manhattan geography, jewish and terrestrial, and a good ability to fashion an appropriate search query in google, may be able to figure out who you are." Oy. I hadn't considered the fact that naming *any* synagogue that I frequent might be a tip-off, in terms of that great game known as "Jewish geography." (An example of Jewish geography for those not familiar with the concept: "Oh, you davven at X synagogue? Do you know Y? We went to Camp Ramah together.")
Sorry, I was going to link to a previous post, but it occurred to me that a certain synagogue's name was in it. I don't suppose there would be much point in my going back now and deleting the name of that shul from every post in which it appears, given that I've been blogging about that shul for something like two years.
Believe it or not, I'm also on the Board of my synagogue. But I'm still not the most popular person in my shul, and, frankly, for good reason: I haven't been terribly civil to the rabbi, and other congregants have circled the wagons. I've already asked for his forgiveness last Yom Kippur, and have been working on trying to be more respectful. For openers, I no longer walk out before the sermon. Still, it's tough to handle the constant sniping from fellow and sister--most sister--congregants. ("There she goes, up on the bima again" [to lead Ashrei]). Put in a search for Ashrei and you'll find a couple of related posts. Sigh.
Related to this current post is that one of my fellow congregants thinks that one of the reasons why so many of the other women of my shul dislike is that "you know too much." This is ironic, considering that I'm largely self-educated and pretty ignorant by day-school-graduate standards. I also think that they feel that egalitarianism implies that the form of Jewish observance that they were raised with as traditional Jewish women is not good enough, and, therefore, they take my desire for equality in worship as a personal insult.
"You really need to find a different congregation." Tell me about it. :( The problem is that we can't find another synagogue--at least, not one within walking distance--without moving, and we can't move until my husband retires.
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