Creepy

The email was from someone I don't know. The subject was "Band A/Band B Concert - Question". (Except the band names were given.) The author greeted me by name. He said his internet research indicates that I'd seen these two bands in concert, and he's looking for information about the date and venue to assist Band A's webmaster.

I immediately freaked out because (a) I did in fact go to this concert circa 1985; (b) I've never mentioned it on my blog; and (c) the email came to my "safe" email...which has no trace of my maiden or married name.

So, how could he possibly know that I went to this concert?

A quick search for Band A's name in my Google reader showed a post that I'd commented on, where I wrote for the entire world wide web to see that I went to Band A /Band B concert when I was in high school. Obviously, the guy read that post & the comments, came over to my blog & emailed me from there.

Maybe you're thinking What's the big deal? Are you so embarrassed that you won't even tell us who the bands are? That's really not the point. It's nothing I'm ashamed of. But the fact that a complete stranger emailed me about it, without telling me how he got the information, seemed sorta' stalkerish & frightened me just a little.

I am very particular about what I share here. I try to blog honestly about what's going on in my life, but I don't share anything that I feel is inappropriate or crosses the boundaries of my family's privacy. Still, it was definitely creepy to have someone track me down based on a comment I'd left on another blog.

This incident has given me much food for thought. As I ponder the place blogging has in my life (and the place I have in blogging), I'm stepping back. Not completely, but noticeably. If and when I figure it out, I'll let you know.