I was ready to drop this whole thing a couple months ago and it flashed through my mind again this morning. No, it isn't because my house is a mess and I should be spending time cleaning it. (It is and I should; it's just not the reason.) It's not because my husband bitches about what I say on here. (He does, but...well...you get the idea.) No, the reason I almost quit is because of Google search words.
Periodically I look over the stats on my blog, seeing how many hits particular posts have gotten, what countries have checked me out, referring sites, etc. I also can see what Google search words brought readers to my site. That is my reason. It doesn't happen often, less than half a dozen hits overall, but I occasional get found through a search that leaves me disturbed at the least, homicidal at the most, and paranoid all the time.
I don't want to give the pervs anything new to hit on, so let me word this carefully. A few months ago someone got to my site through a search involving words for a less-than-18-year-old-person and lack of undergarments. This morning it was that same aged person and use of a restraining device popular with police. (They found this post.) Strangely, last week I also got a hit for "living room murder photos" and I'm still trying to figure that one out. And, frankly, that search doesn't bother me nearly as much as the ones involving children.
It's no surprise to me that there are freaks on the Internet. It also doesn't come as a shock that they would be trolling for trash involving youngsters. My emotions get ratcheted up a notch when I think they might be looking at my children or my friends and loved ones. It's like when a crime suddenly happens in your neighborhood and you find yourself thinking, "I can't believe it happened here." I get overcome with that mother lion instinct. The claws come out, my muscles clench, and I start thinking shotguns are a good idea.
I won't stop blogging. Whether I do or do not write about my children there will be scum slithering around the World Wide Web. I will be cautious what I write about, definitely what photos I post. Obviously, with the Penn State scandal, pedophiles are on the minds of every mother in this country right now. If Jerry Sandusky is proven guilty of the crimes for which he is accused, I would have no problem with him being strung up and used as a human pinata. When it comes to crimes against children I become my most barbaric.
4 comments:
You never know what some pervert is going to think about looking at totally innocent pictures of kids, for that matter. My point isn't not to post the pictures; it's that you can't live in total paranoia. Too bad there's no way to track down the IP address of those using those search terms. Maybe you could sick the law on them. (Ask The Vulcan if this is possible?)
That being said, notice I never list photos of the kids that aren't as demure as possible. Even Foghorn's angel/devil costume last year I cut off so her legs didn't how.
Perverts can use even the most innocent pictures. That's the way the world is. We just have to do the best we can.
Well, I for one am very glad you're not going to quit blogging, but I totally understand where you're coming from.
And to answer your "living room crime scene photos".........Camp Gonnawanna Patch Day 5 (I believe), you created a 'crime scene' in your living room :-).
Not that I'm stalking you or anything and knew that off the top of my head, I remembered reading about the CSI Kits from your camp and had to go back and look up which day it was.
I'm so glad you aren't going to quit - it would be like letting the creeps win.
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