Does it Really Matter if I'm Confidential?

Okay, so I'm posting this for your thoughts, advice, or mad warnings. Does it really matter if someone can find me through my blog? I read a supposed-to-be-alarming article in the Deseret News about how the majority of people who own blogs think they would be pretty easy to find. I'm not sure why this is alarming. I am certain I am findable. When you own a business from home, you try to be. Our phone number and address are listed on our website, fliers, and business cards that we hand out like candy.

I suppose I present personal information on my site. But as all who know me can attest, I'm not a very private person. I'll tell everything about my life to pretty much anyone I meet. For heaven's sake, I told a random stranger at the Children's Museum I miscarried the day after it happened. Now I recognize that for propriety's sake, maybe I should scale back. But is it dangerous?

The article quoted several mothers who were alarmed that other mothers would post pictures of their children on their site. So far that's really all I do on this site. I don't really see what's the problem in that. If you see me in life, chances are that Talmage is somewhere around. And it's pretty obvious that a child lives here, given the stroller visible in my yard.

Granted, I'm not going to post credit card info, social security numbers, or the hospital where I plan to deliver future babies at and at which date.

The article failed to mention why I should be alarmed that I'm findable. Am I at more risk than I am everyday in life? I feel a little bit like people are just fearing the panopticon, like Tyler was freaked out when Smith's started tracking our purchases in the great Fresh Values card conspiracy. Really, what can be done with our grocery info, other than offer us coupons on the things we buy? What can be done with information about the Second-seventh Night, Talmage being sick, and the zoo?

Second-seventh Night

So it is a little mysterious that the larger audience reading this blog isn't even aware that it's the Second-seventh Night. It's a major holiday, in case you didn't know.

In 2002, Tyler and Rob (Tyler's cousin) lived at Bountiful Court apartment complex in Provo, Utah. (As an interesting sidenote, Maquel (Tyler's sister) bought them contracts there while they were on their missions because she found it "adorable" how the six-boys-to-100-square-feet boys' apartments faced the girls' and then went and bought herself a contract at the infinitely nicer and more sophisticated Chatham Towne condos. Tyler and Rob didn't find Bountiful Court nearly as adorable.) While at the BC, Tyler and Rob noticed that their birthdays--March 13 and March 21--were eight days apart (Just like Hannukah!) and they christened the time period Adam Sandler style--The Eight Crazy Nights of Rob and Ty.

They made a menorah. Of course the BC didn't allow open flame in the apartment so they blew out the candles immediately after lighting them. They conned girls who had crushes on Rob to bring them presents to celebrate each of the nights. And they were to March 19 before they realized that if they celebrated both Tyler's birthday on March 13 and Rob's birthday on March 21, there were actually NINE Crazy Nights of Rob and Ty.

Hence the birth of the SECOND-seventh Night. Which of course is celebrated on March 20, after the first Seventh Night. And it's a very mysterious holiday. Mysterious things happen all day long, including the watching of a scary movie, which is particularly mysterious for Laura and Rob's wife Becky, who hate scary movies.

In honor of this year's Second-seventh night, I'm posting the above picture which features Rob and Ty eating a dessert composed of scoops of ice cream garnished with precisely three jelly beans. Now if that isn't a mysterious food product, I don't know what is.

Z - O - O

This is the first sign our son is now outsmarting us. It surely won't be the last.

Actually, this is the first sign Talmage is outsmarting his mother. I'm yet to see him cut through his father's brilliant intellect.

Bones

Bones is a type of friendly gesture similar to a hand shake or a high five.  It is performed by two people tapping their fists together lightly.  Bones also can be known as a symbol of giving respect.

-Wikipedia "fist pound"

Happy Birthday Tyler

So, I kind of feel bad for those of you who didn't realize that March 13 is the happiest day of the year. You probably had a normal day when you could have had stew, breadsticks, and Talmage saying "Happy Birthday, Daddy." Tyler turned 28 on Thursday and I have to say, I was a good wife. Talmage and I cleaned the house (although when you get right down to it, Talmage wasn't as helpful as he could have been). We made a sign for the fridge (pictures forthcoming). We made stew (and if you think that's not a good birthday meal, you clearly don't know my meat-and-potatoes husband). And we gave him a basket with all the reasons we love him (he's a good daddy so we gave him a puzzle and he makes us laugh so we gave him the second season of Scrubs, etc.). All in all, it was a nice day for the three of us. Maybe Talmage enjoyed it the most. He loved the secret-secret preparations and almost fell out of my arms when we shouted "Happy Birthday" when Tyler came in the door.

Isn't my boy funny?

So, I admit this is a bit outdated (note the Christmas tree in the background), but I thought this is a pretty accurate summation of Talmage's sense of humor. And yes, he came up with this joke all by himself.

We're Sick Chez Nous

Talmage has four identifiable emotions. Happy, sad, sick, and having a rash. Sometimes mom and dad are happy, while Talmage and Lu (our dog) have a rash. Today, however, Talmage is just sick. These are mutually exclusive emotions, so he is not happy or sad. He is just sick.

I hate when Talmage is sick. I must admit, we've been lucky this winter and have kept sickness to a minimum. But Talmage is never "He has a little cold" sick. He's always "Let's call 911 because Talmage is having a febrile seizure" sick. Today Talmage is croup sick. However, despite the difficult breathing, he really is in good spirits.

So, I've started a blog. Tyler has wanted me to start one for quite sometime. I'm not sure why he doesn't want to do it himself. I don't think I did because, really, how do you compete with sister-in-law Sarah's blog? But, after years of feeling guilty for not keeping a journal, I figure it's time.