Do You Know Who Has Photos of You?

This blog has been a learning experience for me.

I've reconnected with friends.
It allows me to write every day.
I get feedback and I love the good and the bad. I also know who the wimps are that send me an email instead of posting a comment.

Once I started posting a few photos, it became an obsession. I've ripped up tons of albums and I've only just begun. I have boxes and boxes. I love this information age.

Here's a terrifying thought: People let me know that they have photos of my youth and college days. Bad hair days. Cigarette in hand. Me draping myself over other people.

Employers now routinely search Google and MySpace. Jobs have been lost and careers sunk due to some bad choices.

My little blog is not likely to wreck anyone's career. But, I am extremely careful to ask permission before I post a photo. I also try to let someone know if I've floated one out there. I've never had anyone ask me to remove a photo.

My mother used to tell me that a lady does not allow herself to be photographed with a drink or a cigarette in her hand. Ooops!

But, I can say with confidence that no one has photos of me nude. No one has photos of me doing anything illegal.

Sometimes boring pays off.

What Do You Do?

As the wife of a man about town who has a certain amount of name recognition, I am greeted warmly and most of the time, I can predict the next question.

"What do you do?"

I used to answer honestly. I would say things like, "I dress people, schlep them around and today I cleaned up vomit and changed sheets." This did not please the husband so I changed my approach.

I tried, "I used to be Director of Marketing for a large banking corporation. I used to run a successful small business." I used to have some sense of organization. This is all true but no one wants to hear about the past.

You are who you think you are. Some days, that's the only identity you cling to. My small business is still one of my priorities. But lately, the answer to the never-ending question is crystal clear.

I am a writer.