When I was deep into the world of online dating, I used to google the men I'd agree to meet. Most of the time, nothing. But of course this one time.. I didn't. I don't know why, it's completely unlike me. I google everything. (I'm a computer geek professionally, so it's in my nature to do so). Anyway, this date totally creeped me out (on so many levels) and I thank whomever that for once in my life I trusted that little voice inside saying "runaway runaway!". I googled him when I got home. He was a registered sex offender. He was a pedophile. He'd served 10 years in prison for rape. OHMYGOD. Of course, me being me, started to realize that some of things he told me before were not sitting right, so I got on the phone with the DA and the police and pointed them at some new evidence for the NEWEST CHARGES PENDING AGAINST HIM. Good lord. The scenario has made an interesting chapter in the story I'm working on. ;)

OH. MY. GOD. Lauren, I'm so glad you're okay and not tied up in a burlap somewhere. That is terrifying!!!! You have an entire BOOK plot there . . .

My life is defines the phrase "stranger than fiction".

I'm grateful I trusted my instinct, since I'm not known to, and he LOOKED like a perfectly normal person (although in hindsight, his eyes were kind of shifty). One of the most scary parts of the scenario for me was that I believe he approached me because I have children. My profile said as much. After all, I didn't want to be dating men who weren't at least accepting of the idea of kids (since I have three).

I'm afraid to Google myself. You know the old saying, "It's none of my business what other people think of me."

I will Google everyone else I know, though. With wild abandon.

Great--now I have to go Google myself because you've got me wondering what could be out there about me..... I mean, it's not like I have ever done anything wrong, you know, just wondering...
Damn....

"You'll go blind." LOL. I like Navy Guy!

I have to admit, I do Google myself. I know, I know, it's narcissistic and stupid, but I can't help it. But it's not all my fault; Fish monitors the internet relentlessly. Every time there's a new Amazon review, or someone mentions me on any of the favorite sites (like Smart Bitches, that man is addicted to Smart Bitches) I get a, "Honey, did you see...?" So even though I really try to avoid it, I can't. It's like trying to quit smoking while living with someone who smokes. It's just impossible.

And yes, I have been known to Google old friends. And, I reconnected with an old friend who had mentioned me on her website, but never contacted me. And when I say old friend, I mean old - we were best friends when we were six. And for that, it was worth Googling myself.

Oh - and - it really toughens you up to people who hate you. There are a handful of people out there who just despise me. At first it bugged me - you know, because I'm a people pleaser - but now I just say God bless and move on. I mean, they're entitled to their opinion. They're wrong, of course, because I'm adorable, but it's their opinion and they're entitled to it. ;)

And Lauren - thank GOD you followed your instincts on that one! Whew! Close call...

Lauren, what a creepy, scary story! Eek! But thank goodness you checked the guy out and called in the authorities.

I confess - I'm a non-techie when it comes to the Information Superhighway. I haven't googled myself before, or anybody else I know, but I strongly suspect that this might be the start of a new addiction for me, LOL!

Michelle

I actually Google myself on a semi regular basis, mainly because I do PR for a large firm and that's part of the way I can track placement of my releases. However, now that I have a web site and blog, those items pop up quite a bit too, so other people Googling me are also able to track me down easier. What I hate, though, is how some of those "adult" sites out there are also starting to gather people's names from blog lists, etc and linking them (in name only) to their x-rated sites. Granted, once you get to the site, your name isn't listed anywhere, but by then the damage is done...usually in the form of something so close up that only a gynecologist should be privy to that particular "view." The other "fun" one was the woman whose name was one letter off from mine, but Google decided we were the same person anyway on their listing, so the header has my name immediately followed by the word that your Navy Guy was alluding to when commenting on how you would go blind. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I personally don't care to look like I'm handing out helpful tips on how to enjoy the act in question. LOL!

Christina

I googled my husband who, unbeknownst to me, has a thriving side career as a gay porn star. Who knew?

I am prone to Google myself. Much less regularly now. And, yes, it was a shock to find out that I wasn't universally adored. ;-) Sometimes I find cool stuff like somebody building a Sims storyboard of my book. But mostly it just leaves me with a sick feeling in my stomach. I'm in a Google recovery program as we speak.

Oooo--Michelle, someone is making a storyboard over at SIMS about your book?! How cool is that?! I never even thought of doing that before.... Gonna have to go check it out--we are HUGE Sims fans here at my house!! Have almost all of the original Sims and have all of the new Sims 2 expansion packs... Yeah, I know, no life....
I Googled myself and didn't find anything interesting (sigh). Then I decided to Google an old friend from college and I got her sister instead. Turns out she is an author (!!) who has written a book about her childhood and the traumas surrounding it and I started to remember a bunch of stuff I had forgotten about their family. Wow. Really need to get ahold of my friend now, because this book is pretty explosive! Her sister's name is Julia Scheeres and the book is titled something about "Jesus Land". Sometimes I wonder why somone would write something like this while their parents are still alive--the damage to them and the rest of the family is immeasurable. I remember that this was all going on at the same time that I was in college with my friend, so I was privy to a lot of it... Sometimes the stuff you find on Google isn't what you want to know.

Hey, y'all do know you can set up a Google Alert for yourself or anyone/anything you want to track regularly, don't you? I have them set up for myself, my blog, some people I want the latest gossip on (/;+). The results are email to you. Just go to Google and, IIRC, "more..." to find it.