Marina’s Bloggariffic is read all over the world. I have to admit that its a huge boost to the ego, but sometimes I’m quite surprised at how readers manage to stumble in this humble blog.
But I dont think anything quite prepared me for what happened yesterday.
A parent came over to my workplace to meet me. She was keen on helping out with the parent association segment for the school webpage.
We chatted, and after a while …
parent: You know, I’ve read your blog
me: Oh yes, I manage the school blog too
parent: Oh no, your personal blog, rinasomething
me: Oh! I’m curious how you got the link, I dont think I’ve ever given out my address any teacher before.
parent: I got that link from a teacher so that I can get to know about you more.
I was a little flabbergasted. Then I remembered that a while back, one of the head teachers did a search on google about Shuqun Secondary, the school that I was attached to. She stumbled upon this blog, read it, and for some days, started to tease me about me and cartcart.
But in a way, I kind of anticipated it. Because blogs, unless they are password controlled, arent all that private. Given time, any site can be searched through any search engine like google or yahoo.
I’m just glad that I didn’t put anything too private in this blog!
So, how did *you* stumble to this blog? I’d love to know 🙂
mine was thru Nana … now Nana MIA lately. the blog terbiar
you can always install a log referrer. i do, i’m surprised even people in outer regions of the globe visits my site eg mongolia, nepal, etc … haha
keep on blogging … 😉
Hi there,
yeah anything that can be placed on the net can be found, one way or another. It just depends on how good or how fast the searcher is only. Even in private 🙂
I used to hide my blog away from the public eyes especially to some of the students that I conduct seminars and classes with. (Ecommerce and startup companies) but after a while, I know that it is impossible to do so. Why? Well, I can also easily find out about my competitors’ infor from blogs of their employees, what are they doing, etc etc .. just do a bit of intelligent search and you can get just anything. So I decided to the heck with it .. just place it open but know where to draw the link too.
Anyway, came to your blog from Ping.sg 🙂
Paddy
BAK2u.com
Hi,
How do you people stumble across websites in this vast universe called the Internet? Easy! I came across your website because you have stolen my name!!
My name is Rinaz, my parents are of Indian descent and it is a slightly changed (and one off) version of similar Indian names like Riyaz. As far as I know there’s only an Italian painter and a Pakistani soccer player who have Rinaz in their name.
So whenever I google myself, I always get your web pages up first.
And yes, I am a male, from Sydney, Australia. If you were ever wondering who has all the rinaz@xxxx email addresses, that’s probably me. 🙂
Cheers,
Rinaz.
Hi nice meeting you.
btw, i want to correct 1 statement in your post:
“parent: I got that link from a teacher so that I can get to know about you more”
I got your link thru one the sch parents, not teachers.
Cheer 🙂 Have a nice day.
And you just revealed the name of ur school. 😛
I got your link thru ping.sg. Interesting blog you have!
I got your blog address when you were shamelessly whoring it to our ex-classmates. :p
got ur site address from d bearded man himself which no longer in contact s he’s in d Twilight Zone…(Twilight Zone opening song credits)…”nenenenenenenene”…
Sha
I think Nana is very busy right now with her course and whatnots. Actually I got to know your blog through her too! I saw you posting comments there quite frequently and decided to drop in and I really enjoyed reading your posts 🙂
I use statcounter and I have google analytics, as well as mybloglog and 103bees.com. My host, bluehost even shows you the breakdown of visitors, where they are from. I know which country they are from, and I know what host they are using, but it doesnt really tell you exactly what made them decide to read my blog.
Paddy Tan
Hello! Thanks for dropping in my blog 🙂 Yes, you are right, with the right keywords, you can pretty much find out more about someone. Not only with websites, you could even use socializing websites like friendster and myspace to find out more about their personal details.
Thats why I dont mind sharing some of my life stories here in this blog, because personally for me, its a way of sharing and communicating with each other. But there is a limit of things that I want to keep in private 🙂
Heck with it, yeah? 🙂
Rinaz
Oh my gosh! There is another Rinaz in my blog! *shocked* Hello twin all the way from Sydney Australia! Its really nice to meet you 🙂
I guess I should apologize for ‘stealing’ your name. Its just that I’ve been using this nickname for since I was 17. But you’re the original deal! Yes I’ve seen the Italian Rinaz website, he’s a very talented painter isnt he? I havent had the chance to stumble upon the soccer player though.
By the way, I have @ rinaz . net email. If you want, I can make you a email address with that domain at your own choice. I think it would be cool.
Rita
It was really lovely to meet you 🙂 From a school parent? Oh my, I wonder who and how they got it! Parents these days are very tech savvy 🙂
DK
Like what Paddy Tan said, to heck with it 😛 People can find things so easily on the internet, I think might as well just open up, right?
Wokkingmum
For a split second I saw working mum, then I realised that its Wok-king mum, awesome pun 🙂
Xed
Thats a long time ago 😛
Sad thing is that, most of our classmates blog are discontinued. Shifaa, Karyn, Ck, Juli …
Mandom
I havent heard from him for a while, is he okay? He doesnt even get online much…
I got to know your blog through him too, he mentioned your name, and presto, I surfed through your blog and scrutinized everything 😛 Hehehe
I cant remember what I was googling @ work when I found your link. Read a few pages and was hooked! I emailed your link to myself (couldnt be bothered writing it down..coz I know I’d lose it or forget where I put it!) and went thru your blog at home. It took me a weekend to read thru most of it from 2004 (cos I wanted to know how u met ur dearest!) I’ve enjoyed every bit of it esp the webcam fun on the bike…it gave me a chance to see abit of singapore *sighs* [missin singapore]
Btw, I only discovered your blog last week! 🙂
rinaz, yup yup you are correct. And with a few use of + – AND OR, more information can be dig out too. 🙂
Also, I been using Mybloglog.com and from there you find one Singaporean, you can virtually link everyone up from one point to another also.
A friend of mine that we lost contact for like 10 years found out about me when he saw a comment I placed in another Singaporean blog (when the lady lost her PDA Phone). From there he just go deeper and deeper and found out about my company, making sure that I am the same person that he knows whom he later contacted me via personal blog. 🙂
Paddy
BAK2u.com
from ping.sg 🙂
Hi,
I stumbled upon your blog from your Friendster account and it so happened that the first time I was browsing through your post, I read about a sad incident that happened and you mentioned someone that I too know as well. =) So that prompted me to read on..
Like, hello? I’m your baby sister!
Rawr!
Nana Jr
Miao 😛
timtams
Wow, timtams are one of the nicest biscuits to eat! The chocolate coated biscuits are a dream. Do you like eating timtams alot? 🙂
You read through the entire blog? *ego blows up* But my goodness *bows* You have admirable tenacity. I think me and cartcart met through fate. Such is life, I think, everything happens because of something 🙂
Are you from Singapore originally? Where are you now?
Paddy Tan
Yes, I’ve met some people whom I’ve never thought that I’d ever meet again as we lost contact. Just a few weeks ago, a lady from my primary school contacted me. Iit was donkey years ago when I left primary school! And a girl from my secondary school stumbled on this blog about a week ago 🙂
I think that is the magic of internet. 🙂
DD
I never imagined that it would be the most highly pinged 😛 Thanks for dropping by, DD 🙂
Vania
I dont even go though friendster alot, did you know that the school firewall blocked it? I hardly surf there, but just left some info in there in case someone from my old school wanted to be investigative 😛
But I’m still very very curious to know who you are … 😉 You hardly leave any tracks for me to investigate 🙂
Wow babe, i seriously can’t remember *exactly* how i stumbled upon it!
Hahah.. i think it was via search.blogger and i jus randomly typed “singapore schools” or sth like that. Either that, or i was blog-hopping. Um, yea.
Anyways it’s a joy to see ya still keepin’ it real! U’ve come a long way
Found your blog via Blog Explosion.
You make a good point, anyone who is savvy enough to do a web search can actually do a bit of background research on you. Its probably difficult for Asians who tend to be a bit more private, no?
Anyway because a lot of people/strangers from all over read through our blogs we have to be careful about how much we put out there. At least as much as we are willing to share with the world.
Lakeside Girl
I’m impressed with the amount of Singaporean websites that you manage to scour. I think its not easy to find them.
Like tomorrow.sg, I only got to know about it through you! 🙂
Michael Josh
Hi, thanks for dropping by my blog 🙂 I think for Asians, many of them cater their blogging entries to their circle of friends. So the entry might seem a little cryptic to ordinary visitors.
I know that there are some bloggers who regretted what they wrote about once they become more well known.
As for me, I dont mind sharing some of my thoughts and experiences. I think thats what the purposes of blogs are for anyways 🙂
haha, funny post rina :p i remembered stumbling upon yr blog when i was searching for roti jala last apr/may!
Ahem, I know you!
Funny that!!!!
I just stumbled across your site through Colbolt Paladin’s site when I saw the name “Rinaz” on it.
First time here. Maybe I have some reading to do, yeah?
oxoxox
Suraya
Oh really? I don’t enter Friendster often as well. My apologies for not leaving any trackbacks for you to find out who I am, reason being because they’ve been a no. of nasty incidents when I did leave some leeway for people to find out more about me, so pardon me for that. Maybe we can meet up personally? Or you can contact me personally at my email address, and from there, I’ll share with you more about myself?
Evan
Haha, yes I remember it! You linked to my roti jala post 🙂 I remember your roti jala was a little different. Making it is kind of relaxing, like Qiqong, once I think about it.
Suraya
Oh my, I remember you! I didnt think that we’d ever talk to each other since you’ve abandoned your deviantart. (Actually I’ve abandoned mine too …)
Are you and cobalt paladin friends? I’m not too familliar with him though, I surfed through his blog through ping.sg
How are you? I think I need to do some sneaking to do too 😉
Vania
Oh my, what happened in friendster? It would be nice to meet up yes 🙂 Its been a while since I meet anyone on the net solo. A little shy now … hehehehe.
Yes unfortunately i do have a soft spot for those choc coated biscuits – timtams! My parents are orginally from Singapore but migrated to Oz, I’ve always lived here so whenever I do go to singapore its never long enuf!
I miss the food, the shopping, the atmosphere of it all..even the MRTs..hey wat can i say Im a girl who’s easily pleased!!
Oh its a long story. Basically, there were some sick people out there who “harassed” and threatened me. I’ll share with you more when we meet up, haha, yea me too.. the last time I met someone up was 4 years ago. =p
timtams
Aww … But you know what, there are loads of instant comfort foods that you can get here. Maggi Curry Noodles, Pokka Green Tea, even canned fish head curry 😐
I am sure you will be back here again Timtams to experience all the shopping and atmosphere! 🙂
Vania
Ack! 4 years ago! Hahaha. How was that experience? I remember one of the first times I met someone online, and it was a little awkward.
Sorry to hear that someone harassed and threatened you. Just what is wrong with these people? Really nothing better to do.