Blog Talk Tuesdays: Part II

Posted on August 2nd, 2011 by peanutbutterfingers

Good morning!

It’s Tuesday and time for the second installment of Blog Talk Tuesdays!

Part two of this new mini-series on the blog addresses blogger safety. Let’s get to it! 

Blogger Safety

  • You share so much on your blog. Do you ever worry about your safety? 

My safety is always on my mind.

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  • You share a lot of your personal life on this blog – from your wedding, to your high school and college, to pictures of friends and even the city  where you live. How do you still make sure that you are ensuring your safety?

I make it a point to keep the following personal information private:

  • My home address
  • The location of our gym (I only revealed the location of our Orlando gym after we moved)
  • What kind of cars we drive
  • Place of employment

I also never show pictures of the outside of our home or the homes of my friends and family. I make sure street signs are not visible in pictures taken close to home.

Additionally, when Ryan goes out of town, I never talk about him being gone until after he gets back.

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  • I am scared to even put a picture of myself up on my blog! How did you get over the fear of sharing so much on the internet?

To be honest, my dad and Ryan were the ones who were nervous about me posting so many pictures for the public to see. They now serve as my “checks and balances” and I will get a phone call or an email from one of them immediately if I post information that they feel could jeopardize my safety.

As long as I blog with safety at the forefront of my mind, I feel as though I am doing the best I can to ensure my personal safety. If any of you ever notice something on my blog that you feel could put me at risk that I may never have even thought could be an issue, please, please let me know.

Also, as a blogger you should know that when you post an original picture on your blog that you took, you automatically have the copyrights to that picture and no one else can legally take your picture off your blog and post it somewhere else without your permission.

  • Has anyone ever stolen content or photos from your blog?

Yes. A simple cease and desist email from a lawyer typically works wonders in this situation. Smile 

As I mentioned above, when you publish photos or original content on your blog, you automatically own the copyright to the content and pictures and no one else may legally reproduce your content or pictures without your consent.

I am also in the process of trademarking “Peanut Butter Fingers” to ensure additional security.

  • I noticed you share your last name on your blog. Were you nervous to do this?

When I first started my blog, I kept my last name off my blog. When other websites, local magazines and publications began reaching out to me, my last name was then published for anyone to see. After that, “Julie Bream (<—my maiden name) Florida”  became one of the top search terms on my former employer’s website. I realized then that my anonymity went out the window.

julie fagan

I also realized that if I wanted to make a career out of freelance writing and blogging, it’s a good thing to be searchable to some extent.

I’m of the mindset that if people really want to find out who you are, they can. It’s a scary thought, but I know of blogger’s full names being “discovered” because readers searched the race results of a race they competed in and matched their name to their running bib. Seriously.

  • Have you ever experienced any scary moments due to putting yourself “out there?”

Fortunately, no. I have not personally had to deal with any “in real life” safety concerns, threatening emails or anything of the sort. People have recognized me, Ryan and my sister from the blog, but everyone who has approached each of us has been nothing but kind and friendly.

  • When you buy and register your own domain, can people find the information you used to register?

If you purchased your own domain, people can easily find your registration information, including the address and phone number you used to register the domain.  All of my information is registered under a former address, so this is not a concern for me, but if you’re a blogger, you may want to pay a nominal fee to make this information private. I know Network Solutions offers this service for $10 a year and replaces your personal information with their contact information. 

If you’re a blogger, try typing your domain name into this website. If the information that populates is your personal information, I would highly recommend making this information private.

Filed under: Blogging

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126 Responses to “Blog Talk Tuesdays: Part II”

  1. 1
    Jenny @ Fitness Health and Food, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:20 am Said:

    Julie,

    Thanks so much for sharing your insight and experience regarding this important issue.

    I do try to be very conscious of what I post in terms of personal info, location etc. It will be interesting to see what difference it makes now that I’ve moved from a big city (Chicago) to a small one in MA!

      

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  2. 2
    Jenny @ Fitness Health and Food, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:21 am Said:

    P.S. I do share my last name for the same reasons as you. It’s definitely a decision that every blogger needs to make for themselves!

      

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  3. 3
    Liz @ Blog is the New black, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:21 am Said:

    Some great tips in there!!

      

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  4. 4
    Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:22 am Said:

    Wow, I had no idea you took so many precautions! Good to know, thanks :)

    I don’t really share my last name either, at least for right now! hah.

      

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  5. 5
    Claire @ Live and Love to Eat, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:22 am Said:

    So much helpful information for new bloggers… thanks for sharing!

      

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  6. 6
    Brittany (A Healthy Slice of Life), on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:22 am Said:

    Again, love blog talk Tuesdays!

    I try and follow the same safety rules- no outside pictures of the house, no specifics about where I live, what I drive, etc. However, it is scary because if someone is determined to find out who you are and where you live, most likely they can do it with today’s technology :( But I don’t want to post anything that will help them out!

    Perhaps I should write a post about how I’ve trained Koda to ‘attack’ when I say a certain word ;)

      

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    peanutbutterfingers Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 9:25 am

    EXACTLY. i agree w/ this 100 percent. if someone REALLY wants to find you, they can and that FREAKS me out. added precautions are smart though and i try to make sure to be as careful as possible.

      

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    Jenny @ Fitness Health and Food Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 9:39 am

    It’s so true that really anyone can find anyone. But of course that’s true for bloggers and non bloggers alike!

      

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    Amanda Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 9:49 am

    Its sad that people even have to worry about this… way to be safe though!

      

  7. 7
    Mary @ food and fun on the run, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:23 am Said:

    Great information! This is something I have really been wondering about, and I really appreciate you sharing it will all of us new bloggers :)

      

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  8. 8
    Cait @ Cait hates Cake, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:25 am Said:

    I follow similar rules and also made my domain registration private. Thanks for the tips! :)

      

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  9. 9
    Erika @ The Teenage Taste, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:26 am Said:

    Great post, Julie! As a teenage blogger, I am also super careful about disclosing personal information. I have no problem sharing my last name but my address, town, school, and gym locations are a total different story.

    PS – Before I started sharing my last name I have seen a few search results pop up that look somewhat like this “Erika – Teenage Taste – Turkey Trot 5K – New Jersey” Someone going that far to find out my name? Creeeeeepy. :-?

      

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  10. 10
    Sylvia @ Frolic Through Life, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:26 am Said:

    How scary is it that people go as far as searching the race bib to find out who bloggers are. Thanks for all the great tips!

      

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    peanutbutterfingers Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 9:28 am

    i know. that BLEW my mind.

      

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  11. 11
    Lisa @ Sunny Seed Stories, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:27 am Said:

    Super article, Julie! This is a topic I think everyone with an internet presence should keep in the forefront of their minds–not just bloggers!

      

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  12. 12
    Kelly, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:27 am Said:

    I think safety is a BIG issue when blogging but I think being aware is the best defense. Great tips Julie!

      

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  13. 13
    Hope, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:28 am Said:

    These are some really great tips! Thank you for posting all of this, Julie :)

      

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  14. 14
    Bee Goes Bananas, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:31 am Said:

    Wow, I didn’t even think of half of these safety issues. I really need to work on that! I just figure who would really want to harm insignificant little me, but people certainly can!

      

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  15. 15
    Hillary, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:32 am Said:

    Thanks for the great info, Julie. I was just having a conversation with my dad this weekend about my safety as a blogger (he’s SUPER overprotective and cautious about these things, which is a good buffer for me!) I’ll actually share this with him to calm him down a little ; )

      

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    peanutbutterfingers Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 9:35 am

    my dad is super concerned about safety, too. i think letting them read your blog and offer their opinions about what shouldn’t be public helps them feel a little more at ease.

      

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    Lauren @ Hungry Child in the City, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:34 am Said:

    Very awesome post. I think remembered to check yourself before posted anything and everything about your life is something most people overlook. Even on Twitter and Facebook, it’s a concern.

    I just looked up my domain on that link and I am IMMEDIATELY getting my address hidden. Thank you so much for this post!!!!

      

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  17. 17
    Brittany @ Itty Bits of Balance, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:34 am Said:

    I love blog talk Tuesdays– I’m a new blogger so this information is especially useful to me :)

    I never even thought about the security of my blog, so this was great for me to read. Thanks for the info! I’ll be much more weary of the info I publish

      

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  18. 18
    Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:34 am Said:

    GREAT topic Julie! I also do several of the things you’ve mentioned so that I don’t give a ton of personal (and potentially dangerous) information out, but I had no idea that registering your own domain means people can search your name and address. Do you know if it’s still possible to do this if you just purchase your domain via wordpress? It’s an upgrade that is available and I’m considering it – if that info is kept confidential.

      

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    peanutbutterfingers Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 9:36 am

    if you purchase your domain (at all), i’m pretty sure someone can find your address. i think a lot of the times you can elect to “make it private” for an additional charge when you buy a domain, though i am not sure whether or not wordpress specifically has this option.

      

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    sarah k @ the pajama chef Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 12:28 pm

    wordpress.com does! i did it, and it’s $10 extra but so worth it. i asked my husband what he thought when i bought mine and he was like, uhh duh! :)

      

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  19. 19
    Presley (Run Pretty), on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:38 am Said:

    Once again, very helpful!

      

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  20. 20
    Cait @ Beyond Bananas, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:38 am Said:

    Thanks so much for this information .. although now I am thinking back to some of the things I’ve shared and am a little worried.

      

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  21. 21
    Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:39 am Said:

    Awesome and informative post–thanks!!

      

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  22. 22
    Holly @ The Runny Egg, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:39 am Said:

    I try to do the same things — no pics of my house, street signs, etc — I also don’t really explain where I like to go running or the name of my gym.

    At first I was nervous about having my last name out there, but I know people could figure it out (with race bibs like you mentioned). And I also have a few family members who read my blog and they let me know if there is something that I should not be mentioning.

      

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  23. 23
    Silvia @ skinny jeans food, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:40 am Said:

    Great post! If a full name is published, there is also a possibility to cross-compare to public telephone directory listings with address. Something to think about.

    A few weeks ago I read Lisa’s story (I am an oakie) that some of her more revealing pictures being ripped off her site and posted at a men’s fitness site and her ‘being discussed’ among the guys. Gave me the heebie jeebies.

    Do you google sometimes where your content/pictures are showing up elsewhere?

      

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    peanutbutterfingers Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 9:41 am

    you can actually set up google alerts for this very purpose! http://www.google.com/alerts

      

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    Silvia @ skinny jeans food Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 9:45 am

    Cool! I did not know that.

      

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    Julia @ Watermelon Smiles Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 2:18 pm

    I was looking forward to this topic too for the same reason! I just read her story a week ago, and it totally freaked me out. Like a lot.
    Thanks Julie!

      

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  24. 24
    Matteson @ Healthy High Schooler, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:41 am Said:

    Awesome post! I’m often worried about safety as well!

      

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  25. 25
    S. K., on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:50 am Said:

    Hey Julie,

    great post! i don’t have a personal blog but this stuff also applies to general internet usage so thanks for talking about it.
    if you’re not yet aware of something called geotagging then it’s worth looking into. hopefully nobody is going to go to these lengths to find out more about you but it can be a scary world out there sometimes and if someone wants to, they can cull lots of data from the photos you post (data like the longitude and latitude of where the photo was taken). you can hide this data though but most of the time it’s automatically associated with the photos you take (especially on cell phone cameras) and you’re not even aware of it.
    it’s worth checking this out if you haven’t already!

      

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  26. 26
    Holly, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:53 am Said:

    LOVE Blog Talk Tuesdays :) Told you, I always look forward to them :) You offer so much great information here!!
    And, my Dad is ALWAYS telling me to be careful what I post..’because you never know who is reading.’ I agree, but I also am very careful with what I post..and do the same as you- never post pics of our house or anything like that. I also love blogging because it’s so cool when you DO put stuff out there to get readers who can totally relate to you (like the whole Crohn’s thing)- pretty crazy what people are ALSO dealing with & how they can give you advice, etc! :)

      

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  27. 27
    Jordan @ food, sweat, and beers, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:58 am Said:

    To start, this is a great series I’m so happy you decided to put up!

    Second, I love to find out new tips of how to keep safe. Luckily, I’d read a few other blogger’s posts on similar topics, so I knew some of the basics of not posting where I work, or a picture of the outside of my house. I’ll be honest, now I’m questioning posting about my gym… then again, I think I’ve only posted the name of it, and it has something like 11 locations… But good to think about.

      

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  28. 28
    Lindsey, on August 2nd, 2011 at 9:58 am Said:

    Great post, love this idea!
    I just added my first name to my blog and was apprehensive before for safety reasons.
    Thanks for the other tips, I don’t know if I would have ever thought to avoid house photos (already posted one!) or street signs, but I am going to be must more aware now :)

      

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  29. 29
    Tiff @ Love, Sweat, and Beers, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:01 am Said:

    Thanks again for all this info! I’m really enjoying these Tuesday posts.

      

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  30. 30
    alyssa - fashion fitness foodie, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:01 am Said:

    Great advice – I’m really glad you started this! At first I was posting everything but quickly learned i needed to simma down.

      

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  31. 31
    Amy @ Living N Learning, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:11 am Said:

    Great post! Safety is definitely something all bloggers should be thinking of. I’m really liking Blog Talk Tuesday :)

      

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  32. 32
    Gina @ Running to the Kitchen, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:17 am Said:

    Julie- great post! I never knew the last point about the domain registration part. Geez! so much stuff to consider at times. I did know about Google Alerts, but I’m about to add a bunch of terms to alert me on based on this. Thank you!

      

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  33. 33
    Corey @ Learning Patience, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:18 am Said:

    More great tips – Thanks – already got on The Blog Fairy’s wait list! Awesome suggestion – xoxo

      

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  34. 34
    Khushboo, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:24 am Said:

    There’s definitely a fine line between personal and private and I think you have maintained a good balance ie being open with your information without compromising you or your family’s safety!

      

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  35. 35
    Jess, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:25 am Said:

    great info Julie! always good to know how to stay safe as a blogger.

      

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  36. 36
    Danielle C., on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:27 am Said:

    Unfortunately this is why I do not blog, but for much stronger safety reasons. It makes me sad that I cannot blog because I think I have a lot to share. :(

    I was divorced last year and have a protection order against my ex, which he has violated. So no way can I safely blog for awhile (but would like to share my experience). Hopefully some day!

    I’m glad that you are so diligent about it, there are some scary peeps out there. :(

      

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  37. 37
    Kristen @ notsodomesticated, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:31 am Said:

    Thank you for this information. I think the safety thing is something that we all need to consider. :)

      

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  38. 38
    Shari @ Chicago Cuisine Critique, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:35 am Said:

    Great feedback!

      

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  39. 39
    Janiek, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:35 am Said:

    Wow, I seriously had to update myself on 21 pages of pbf! Always nice to come home from a holiday like this :)

      

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  40. 40
    Sarah @ Simply Dove, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:38 am Said:

    These are some great tips Julie! It can be hard as a new blogger to know what you should and shouldn’t put on your blog. This has definitely helped me out! :)

      

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  41. 41
    Roz @ My ViSalus Journey, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:47 am Said:

    This is a concern of mine too. Especially with kiddos in the mix as it’s not just about you anymore. You gave some great tips here! I have private registration that comes with my domain from one and one. It’s free with a domain purchase, which has been anywhere from free to $6.99. I love that company! Thanks for your helpful tips here!

      

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  42. 42
    LizAshlee, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:50 am Said:

    Thanks for the great tips!! I also follow very similar advice as my safety is of upmost importance! It can be a bit intimidating at first to start blogging…I always am hyper-aware of the information i am publishing!

    Have a great day!

      

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  43. 43
    Brittany, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:56 am Said:

    Good tips!! I’m a tad on the nervous side when I want to post pictures of myself. I would love to have more pictures on my blog, but I haven’t really gotten totally comfortable with it. and safety is SO important!!

    Hope you have an awesome day! :)

      

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  44. 44
    Claire @ NavigatingNorth, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:56 am Said:

    Thanks for the safety help Sheriff Julie :-) I never knew that people could get your information if you buy a domain…I am going to look into this today! I often worry about what I put up, but have never put up where I live, etc. I know that people can tell from the University and whatnot, but it’s nothing too specific.

    Thanks for doing your part to keep us all safe! It’s nice to have those checks and balances too isn’t it? That would be my friends and Mom for the most part!

      

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  45. 45
    Ashley, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:00 am Said:

    Safety has been going through my mind a lot the last couple days when I noticed that a random person (who has a really “interesting” and odd profile) subscribed to my blog. :/ It just kinda creeped me out a bit. I appreciate your pointers and advice on safety as I am starting up my own healthy living blog. Very helpful!

      

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  46. 46
    Ashley@foodfitnessfun, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:02 am Said:

    (Previous link should be http://www.myfoodfitnessfun.wordpress.com. Oops.)

      

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  47. 47
    Jessica @ Sushi and Sit-Ups, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:10 am Said:

    This is a great topic to discuss. Like anything, I think you need to be smart about the type of information you put out there, but if you don’t want to disclose anything about who you are or your life, then maybe blogging isn’t the right channel for your creativity. Sometimes I’ll write things without even thinking about the safety aspect, so it’s good to keep in mind as just another check!

      

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  48. 48
    Veronica (Run Write Repeat), on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:11 am Said:

    Thanks for the info about blogger domains. Scary that all of my personal info can be viewed by anyone! I’ll definitely have to take care of that.

      

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  49. 49
    Brooke, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:14 am Said:

    YAY! This was one of my questions:) I love the pictures of Sadie…the captions are hilarious!!

      

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  50. 50
    Carrie, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:21 am Said:

    this is SUCH a great post!! id always wondered about blogger safety, but u have nothing to worry about becuz we all love you!!

      

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  51. 51
    Jodi, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:23 am Said:

    Another great Tuesday post, Julie! I can honestly say that this is the first time I’ve even considered the scary aspect of blogging. I am such a new blogger, that I didn’t worry about tons of people reading it right now, but I will definitely want to keep all the pointers in mind! Thanks for reminding us to be careful!

      

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  52. 52
    Jenn, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:31 am Said:

    Awesome post! I think you might run into issues with trademarking Peanut Butter Fingers, however, because it has been used long before your blog.

      

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    Jenn Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 11:33 am

    I hope this doesn’t sound rude, I just reread it and it could totally come off that way but I meant it otherwise :)

      

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    peanutbutterfingers Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 12:56 pm

    so far, so good! the only issues that came up in the process were with butterfingers (the candy) and a pie called “peanut butter nutter butter pie” from tgifridays.

      

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  53. 53
    Erica @ Everything's Better with Olive Oil, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:32 am Said:

    I am loving these blog-talk Tuesdays! I just got serious about blogging in the last month or so, and I need all of the advice I can get.
    I’ve often worried about sharing too much…for my own safety and for the safety & privacy of my husband, friends and family. At the moment I’m pretty sure all of my readers are friends and family, but this is a good reminder to keep myself and the ones that I love safe!
    Thank you!

      

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  54. 54
    Aine @ Something to Chew Over, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:33 am Said:

    Brilliant tips, thanks Julie! I don’t think people talk about this enough.

    Loving the blog talk series :)

      

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  55. 55
    Carlie, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:34 am Said:

    i dont want to sound like a creeper, but i once forgot the url of your blog and wanted to show my sister something so i googled your full name — one of the first things that comes up is your linkedin profile which lists all of your places of employment. wanted to let you know because you said you tried to keep that kind of thing private…

      

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    peanutbutterfingers Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    oh i never even thought of that! yikes! fortunately i don’t work at any of those places anymore, so my linkedin profile can still be public, but that is a great thing to think about!

      

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  56. 56
    Kristine @ Running on Hungry, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:39 am Said:

    Great post Julie! Really, really helpful! :) Especially for new bloggers like moi!

      

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  57. 57
    Corrie Anne, on August 2nd, 2011 at 11:41 am Said:

    Wow. Those are good safety tips. I realize I’ve been a little careless. Thanks for sharing what’s made sense to you! :)

      

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  58. 58
    Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:02 pm Said:

    Great post. I’m always extra careful about security when I’m in NYC- I NEVER mention the neighborhood I live in, or where I’ll be at a specific time. One thing that kind of scares me is that my dad is pretty well-known in our community, so I try to keep my last name off the blog. I know people can easily figure it out with a little searching, but I prefer to keep it harder to get for the sake of my family’s privacy!

      

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  59. 59
    Carol @ Lucky Zucca, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:08 pm Said:

    You’re so right. Especially being females, we have to be extremely cautious of our safety. At first, I didn’t even post pictures of myself. After a few months, I felt more comfortable with the idea (really after seeing so many other blogs with photos of the blogger).

    Things like FourSquare and Facebook places freak me out. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to participate in those.

    Thanks for the tips! I’m really enjoying Blog Talk Tuesdays!

      

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  60. 60
    Cat @Breakfast to Bed, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:18 pm Said:

    as an actor, blogger, voice over artist. I get this and it was a GREAT post.

      

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  61. 61
    Junieb, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:20 pm Said:

    I dont know if anyone here knows this, but just recently on The Today Show and on our local news as well, they had a segment re: the fact that when you take photos with your phone and post them on FB or Twitter, no matter if there are landmarks or signs, your phone assigns a gps kind of number and people can get that right then and there and know your EXACT location!!! They had a way to turn this off but I dont remember now!

      

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  62. 62
    Jennifer, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:28 pm Said:

    this information about safety is amazingly helpful. Thanks so much again! Love from runningwithmascara.com

      

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  63. 63
    Lindsay@ In Sweetness and In Health, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:32 pm Said:

    Thank you for the tips! I’ve always tried to consider my safety since I started blogging a couple months ago, but these are some things that I didn’t really think about..and now I’m gonna make sure to keep them in mind!

      

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  64. 64
    Taryn @ thefitflosser, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:34 pm Said:

    What an excellent post about blogger safety as I have often wondered about the subject myself. Good advice about avoiding street signs and tell-tale information that could lead to exact locations when taking photos. Thanks for the advice and I will keep these tips in mind next time I do a post.

      

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  65. 65
    Emily @ Glitz Glam Granola, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:36 pm Said:

    I love this series! Your tips are so helpful and great to hear from someone who has so much experience! Sometimes I have a hard time balancing the line of being too private and sharing too much but I will def keep this in mind in the future!

      

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    Laura (Cookies vs. Carrots), on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:50 pm Said:

    Thanks for the tips! I am always skeptical of things I post. I live by myself, so I definitely don’t want to invite any creepers in. I’ve noticed throughout my time reading your blog, that you are really diligent about your safety, and it reminds me to do the same!

      

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    Lissy, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:51 pm Said:

    I think you being married and being married to a big guy helps :P
    I’ve had a couple incidents with stalker-like people. Nothing remotely life threatening, but when a smores pillow shows up at your doorstep without you giving your address to someone, well, that’s a bit scary. I made my domain private after that. I’ve since changed the setting since I no longer live at my parents’ and use that as my registered address.
    But yeah, no creepy stalkers since I started dating my husband, thank God.

      

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    Amber @ Stop and Smell the Wildflowers, on August 2nd, 2011 at 12:55 pm Said:

    Thank you! I’m learning so much from this series!

      

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    Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats, on August 2nd, 2011 at 1:07 pm Said:

    Great series! :) I love all of these tips. It definitely made me think of somethings that I probably shouldn’t include in posts!

      

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    Jazmine @ Gracefully Glutenless, on August 2nd, 2011 at 1:15 pm Said:

    Thank you soo much! some of that I’ve never even thought of before! :)

      

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    Shephalli, on August 2nd, 2011 at 1:16 pm Said:

    Thanks for this post! Very informative. PS: We need more Sadie!

      

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    Cait's Plate, on August 2nd, 2011 at 1:52 pm Said:

    Another amazing post :) And I’m with you on keeping certain things private – it’s just better that way!

      

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    Trees, on August 2nd, 2011 at 1:57 pm Said:

    Love these! Very helpful!!

      

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    Liz, on August 2nd, 2011 at 2:04 pm Said:

    Hi Julie,
    First time commenter, long time reader-just wanted to thank you so flippen much for this post. I like to think I am a fairly seasoned blogger and am fairly comfortable with my web presence for the most part, but this post prompted me to check the whois website to verify that my domain is private…and it wasn’t. I’m not anonymous or anything like that, and I make my living primarily from blogging, but the thought of my current home address and phone # being right there totally freaked me out. Turns out when I switched from bluehost last year I didn’t double check this-yikes.

    My new hosting company 1&1 offers private domain registration for free, in case anyone else uses them.

    Anyway, sorry to ramble-but if you hadn’t posted this, my home address would still be up there for the world to see and I have some creepers who like to blog stalk me :) . Just wanted to let you know that yes, you are helping all the newbie bloggers, but this is an awesome reminder for us not so new ones too :) We can’t get too comfortable or let our guards down, you know? Have a great day!

      

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    Angie, on August 2nd, 2011 at 2:05 pm Said:

    Great tips!

      

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    Katherine, on August 2nd, 2011 at 2:09 pm Said:

    Great tips!

      

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    Erin @ Naturally Addicted, on August 2nd, 2011 at 2:16 pm Said:

    Fantastic post! Thanks for all the information!

      

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    Jackie @ That Deep Breath, on August 2nd, 2011 at 2:23 pm Said:

    I love Blog Talk Tuesdays, thank you! I’m still a little worried about sharing my last name, but I know it’ll come out soon. When I bought my domain I bought the option to keep my information private so I’ve tried to stay safe in that sense…I haven’t even shared my town. Do you think that it’s ok to share the city you live in? I know you do, Orlando is more well-known and a little larger than the city in California I’m in. What do you think?

      

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    peanutbutterfingers Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 2:28 pm

    you could say you live in the “greater orlando area” w/o saying the specific town! just an idea! i am saying that i live in ocala now even though it is much smaller than orlando. while it is smaller, it is still large enough for me to feel comfortable sharing that information.

      

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    Kate @ NaturaStride, on August 2nd, 2011 at 2:27 pm Said:

    Excellent post! This is such valuable information – thanks!

      

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    Gen, on August 2nd, 2011 at 2:51 pm Said:

    Great post, I love Blog talk Tuesday!
    Well you’re absolutely roght to keep your privacy and to be careful of what you share and not share. I see that people worry about you ^^

      

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    Gina Marion Reply:
    April 23rd, 2012 at 3:07 pm

    The only full proof way to guard against identity theft is to “freeze” your credit. Best way I’ve seen it explained is at Clark Howard.com, search credit freeze. His web site instructs you on how to freeze your credit with each agency. Even if the bad guys get your social security #, they are powerless. You will need to “thaw” your credit to buy a house or land, open credit card accounts, etc, which costs a small fee. The only time credit freezing is not worth doing is when you need access to your credit line constantly, for example if you are an investor. Good luck!

      

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    Rachel, on August 2nd, 2011 at 2:59 pm Said:

    I very recently started a blog. I’m not as concerned about personal safety since I don’t document my every day life on my blog and I live in a big city. I chose to use, and even publicize my full name because I hope to do more journalism work, which would publish my full name. I’ve also been published before, so I have no problem with using my last name.

    However, I’m pretty concerned about financial safety/identity theft. I don’t plan to sell anything on my blog, but I was wondering for those who do, how do you go about it? I have a paypal account, but it makes me nervous since my friend’s information was stolen and I’ve had eBay rip me off on my account more than once. I use my credit card for nearly everything since I know debit cards aren’t protected in the same way and that many places (not just the internet–grocery stores, gas stations and restaurants) can easily steal your debit card number.

    If my blog ever gets big or generates money, I wonder how best to protect my financial information.

      

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    stevie, on August 2nd, 2011 at 4:35 pm Said:

    Actually julie, you have shown ryan’s car on the blog a few times. I assume he doesn’t mind.

      

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    Natalie, on August 2nd, 2011 at 4:56 pm Said:

    Very good idea to not mention the husband being away until after he’s safely back home. My husband works crazy night call shifts, and I probably shouldn’t broadcast “Hey, I’m all alone Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of this week!” I also think taking those extra precautions with your home address is important for those of us that work from home and mention it on our blogs.

      

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    Britne @ Shabbott's Habits, on August 2nd, 2011 at 5:28 pm Said:

    Hi Julie,
    Great post! Security is something that I’m very aware of, but you mentioned some things that I never considered (like the car thing). I recently struggled with whether or not to share my ‘real job’ with my readers, but after a quick Google search, realized that all of the information was available online anyway. I am careful about showing my house or talking about what neighborhood I live in.
    I love your blog, by the way – I’ve been following for a couple of weeks now. I’ve also been known to have ‘peanut butter fingers’ ;)

      

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    Debbie, on August 2nd, 2011 at 5:31 pm Said:

    Thanks for including some Sadie pictures to keep us non-bloggers entertained! :)

      

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    Jen @familyfoodfitnessandfun, on August 2nd, 2011 at 6:16 pm Said:

    Great advice! I have gone back recently and taken off some pictures of my kids…specifically, a picture of them in the tub. I would hate to think that there are predators out there looking at that! I checked my domain on that website you provided and all is well…PHEW!

      

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    Lisa @ I'm an Okie, on August 2nd, 2011 at 6:45 pm Said:

    You know what happened with me and my blog.

    I noticed a lot of hits from a website I was unfamiliar of….and went to the website. Well, it was a men’s forum and they were posting pics and making crude comments about me…they were very sexual in nature.

    They found out I knew and then became very rude and it really scared me. They took pics of Sean, my best friend, and tore them to shreds. It terrified me for a few days.

    Here’s the post that details what happened: http://www.imanokie.com/2011/01/every-bloggers-nightmare-2/

    I am much more careful these days about what I post.

      

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    'Dee Reply:
    August 2nd, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    Holy crap, Lisa!! I love your blog as a recent discovery — I had no idea that happened to you. Scary.

    I don’t share my full name either, and I often blur out my race bibs in photos (though I don’t confess to be perfectly diligent about that) but I am also a realist — if somebody wants to find you these days, the interwebs make it very easy to do. This is why Roxie’s great-big bark and less-than-cuddly demeanor around strangers is a welcome thing :-)

    All of this does absolutely man that anybody who puts any part of their lives on the web needs to have security and safety in mind. Great post Julie — I was really looking forward to this topic!

      

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    Abby, on August 2nd, 2011 at 8:14 pm Said:

    THANK you for this post. Truthfully, safety hasn’t always been at the front of my mind when I blog. Being a relatively new (and young) blogger, I have been naive about safety, mostly because my blog is not “popular.” However, my blog content is still on the Internet, and I am most definitely going to concern myself more with safety. Thanks again!

      

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    Bethany @ Accidental Intentions, on August 2nd, 2011 at 8:29 pm Said:

    Thanks so much for all of this! In the almost two months that I’ve been blogging, I’ve found safety to be my number one concern, but it’s so tricky. You want to share enough information that your readers know who you are, but at the same time you want to keep enough under wraps so creepy people can’t get creepy…it’s tough!

      

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    Katie, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:27 pm Said:

    Thanks so much for the great info Julie! It will definitely be put to good use :)

    My dad is super over protective of what I post too for safety reasons. One time I posted about a place being ‘a few blocks from my apartment’ and he immediately called me and told me to take that part down. I think he might be going a little too far sometimes, but definitely better safe than sorry!

      

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    Jessica, on August 2nd, 2011 at 10:48 pm Said:

    Thanks so much for Blog Talk Tuesday! I love it!!

      

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    Vanessa, on August 3rd, 2011 at 10:31 am Said:

    Haven’t read through the comments so I don’t know if someone mentioned this but here is some food for though:
    I know what’s done is done but posting basic common “security” information, things like exact birthdates, mother’s maiden names, resume/employment information, previous and current pets names are one thing to consider, just for identity theft’s sake. Identity thieves can do SO much with so little.
    Investing in a P.O. Box to register your domain under so you don’t have your home address connected anywhere. I learned this from my sister who sells things online.
    NEVER Tweeting/Facebooking your current location and disabling or opting out of those GeoTags or Locators.
    This one might be a little too paranoid and creepy but it happens: keep an eye on your WebCam! Make sure it is off.

      

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    Nikki, on August 3rd, 2011 at 11:36 am Said:

    Speaking of blogger safety + having readers approach you, my significant other and I saw you at the gym at the Atlanta Ritz Carlton! I REFUSED to come talk to you because I was super embarrassed, and decided to work out at another time. We had booked our hotel for a work trip a long time before you put it on your blog, but it still felt super creepy approaching you in a hotel that you had posted on your blog :)

      

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    Julie @ Peanut Butter Fingers Reply:
    August 3rd, 2011 at 12:22 pm

    oh my gosh, really!?! you should’ve said hi! :) i promise i would not have been weirded out at all. hopefully we’ll run into each other again! hope your stay at the ritz was amazing!

      

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    The Healthy Engineer, on August 4th, 2011 at 9:14 am Said:

    Oooh I asked that second question…thanks for writing that post!

    It still freaks me out a little, but I just have to be careful, I guess.

    Even posting things on Facebook can be a little harmful sometimes as well!

      

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    Fabulous Friday Five! « Let's Talk and Walk!, on August 5th, 2011 at 7:33 pm Said:
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    Danielle, on August 6th, 2011 at 7:54 pm Said:

    Great post! I don’t blog but I participate in online email group and a minor scare reminded me I have to be careful with my information. I always re-read my emails to be sure I am not releasing any info I don’t want out there. I also changed my name on my email to reflect my first name only. My husband participates in an online car forum. Most of these people have all become really close friends but I am constantly reminding him to be careful what he posts online. The forum is open to the public. He may know the majority of thre group but there are many he still doesn’t know. I do know if someone really wants to find you they can and that is scarey.

      

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    Peanut Butter Fingers » Blog Talk Tuesdays: Part III, on August 9th, 2011 at 8:38 am Said:
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    Lindsay, on August 9th, 2011 at 9:40 am Said:

    One thing I haven’t read about here in your post or in the comments (unless I missed it) is posting on social media about travel schedules in advance of them happening. I really try to wait until I am totally home before posting photos, etc from trips. I just worry that someone can target your home for a burglary if they know you are not home.

    Also – a friend needed my mailing address recently and found it here – http://www.whitepages.com/. I have since removed it. But as an example of what could happen – I would hate to post about a trip on my Twitter which is public, then have some criminal search my name and come upon my full mailing address. Just another thing to think about! I definitely recommend that folks remove their listing from there if they are concerned about safety!

      

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    Sandy, on August 11th, 2011 at 6:55 pm Said:

    This was a super interesting post to read! (I took a little break from reading and I’m catching up on my fav blogs) This was very insightful! I try to think about some of these things, although I just started my blog recently and only have a few followers. But this is important stuff to keep in mind. I really enjoy Blog Talk Tuesdays. :)

      

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    Peanut Butter Fingers » Blog Talk Tuesdays: Part IV, on August 16th, 2011 at 9:03 am Said:
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    Matt, on August 16th, 2011 at 10:20 pm Said:

    ICANN has rules in place to cancel domains for having incorrect whois information, http://www.icann.org/en/registrars/wdrp.htm

    I would recommend you pay for private whois information to protect you and your domain.

      

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    Peanut Butter Fingers » HLS: Presentations Part II, on August 21st, 2011 at 6:03 pm Said:
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    Peanut Butter Fingers » Blog Talk Tuesdays: Part V, on August 23rd, 2011 at 8:59 am Said:
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    hillary, on August 23rd, 2011 at 6:04 pm Said:

    this is really helpful, julie–thank you! being a public figure in my sport, i do think about this stuff when i post on my blog, and am always careful to not show our address or street name. i have posted pictures of the front of our house and our cars, though, and we have twice seem people drive past, stop, and snap a photo from the car–which seemed really odd and freaky but even moreso now that i read this!

    thanks again for helping point us newbies in the right direction!

      

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    peanutbutterfingers Reply:
    August 23rd, 2011 at 6:56 pm

    just visited your site! you are a badass!!

      

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    hillary Reply:
    August 24th, 2011 at 10:10 am

    you are too kind!:)

      

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    Blog Talk Tuesdays: Part VI | Peanut Butter Fingers, on September 6th, 2011 at 11:53 am Said:
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    Megan @ Fiterature, on March 19th, 2012 at 4:37 pm Said:

    Julie – I just came across this after reading today’s yummy pumpkin banana loaf –

    I looked up my site and yep – all my info is right there for all to see. I spent the extra $10 RIGHT NOW to protect myself. Thanks so much!

      

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    WIAW- March 21 « I Broke my Umbrella, on March 21st, 2012 at 7:20 am Said:

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