When you realise you know someone from bellybelly

[Kazzo]

I have figured out through my work that I know someone from here. She is no longer an active member but I still follow her blog as she is one of the funniest bloggers.

I actually feel wrong for some reason that I know her now. Like she is someone I know so much about but that I should never actually know and meet. She does not know me as someone on here or that follows her blog. Just as someone that works somewhere she frequents.

Have you ever realised you know someone, from here or anywhere online and did you tell them? Would you be okay if someone said they recognised you?

I doubt I will ever say anything.

[Arcadia]

Who is it?

I've always wondered, but never probed people in case I get discovered. This place is a haven to me.

[Jennifer13]

I know plenty of BBers IRL and yes, have had the occasional person I've come across off the forums. Since I've also been involved in the ABA and my Homebirth group it isn't that unusual to bump into others who come to a gentle parenting site.

I did have someone once from church and I discover unexpectedly that we were both on BB, many moons ago.

[Emma09]

If it was me, I'd rather they said something to me.

But I would imagine most people prefer the anonymity of the forum.

[OceanPrincess]

I do... And haven't said anything.

I don't want the lines to blur. Possibly I'm paranoid but not many people IRL know about my miscarriage where I've been very open about it here. If this person brought that info into my world outside BB, I don't know what I'd do. Adjust, I guess, but I've chosen to leave it anonymous.

[Cherished]

I did figure out an older BB member who hardly posts anymore was someone that I know IRL. I felt weird that I knew private things about her etc and I did end up telling her. I regret it now though. She's not the nicest person I've ever met, even stood me up once and didn't seem to care too much, plus she made a very rude comment at a baby gift I gave her which I'd put a lot of thought into I think I'd rather just be annonymous now. As of a few days ago I also know who another member is but wont be telling her who I am

[Tegam]

I haven't found anyone but I've been found. I didn't mind being told but I guess that was the person that found me. There are a lot of people I'd be upset if they found me. It would be a toss up if I'd want to be told. It would ruin bb for me. But if I didn't know then I'd hate to think that person was reading personal things about me..... Well that's as clear as mud isn't it

[Kazzo]

I understand you Tegam, It is how I feel too.

Cherished, that is horrible. And I feel weird that I know private stuff about someone too but it is through her blog now, not here and well I guess a blog is a lot more public and if it was information she did not want people to know then she would not put it on there I guess. But still weird non the less.

The BBer has not been active for over 18months now, she stopped coming on at a very very hard time in her life. It ewally just shocked me that I realised who it was. If I was ever to say anything to her I think I would actually leave BB out of it and it would only be about her blog anyway. Still I don't know.

[No.5]

I haven't found anyone but I've been found. I didn't mind being told but I guess that was the person that found me. There are a lot of people I'd be upset if they found me. It would be a toss up if I'd want to be told. It would ruin bb for me. But if I didn't know then I'd hate to think that person was reading personal things about me..... Well that's as clear as mud isn't it

Haha it is to me Thats how I am too. I love that I feel I can post anything on here because I don't know anyone, but if someone I did know was reading then I'd want to know but don't know how much that'd change BB for me..

[kelebek]

I send them a PM when I realised that I 'knew' them even though it wasn't a close assosiation. I would rather it be out in the open. But I was clear what's said on BB, stays on BB
In your case though, where they don't get on BB anymore I would probably leave it

[meow]

Someone from my antenatal classes was/is a member on BB. I'm not sure that she ever posted much, or if she still does, or if she is reading this? After we had our babies we had a class catchup and she told me she had read my birth story on BB. I didn't mind that she had read my birth story at all... but I kind of felt weird when I realised people could just know who I was and read all the other posts I make too.

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i would be horrified! thats the beauty of BB. i wouldnt want to know at all. infact i have scaled back alot of my personal info because i suspect a few of my friends/acquaintances have joined BB. man, i have posted some stuff on here that i would never talk about with some people i know in real life! LOL

[Novella]

I have bumped into someone through my work. I'm a nurse and it definitely was not the time or
place to say 'hey guess what I know you from BB'. So no I didn't say anything, it wasnt going to benefit them. Bit like having an actor come in to visit an ill relative and to stand there and try and talk to them about their latest movie ITMS, completely irrelevant and would have upset me f the roles were reversed. I doubt I would bump into this person again due to geographical differences anyway.

[Marley&Me]

On Facebook the other day and saw BB's creator Kelly posting on one of my friends status!!!! Small world hey?

I haven't posted a lot of things on here for the fear of someone knowing me IRL.

[Astrid]

When I still lived in the Melbourne I did not have much problem with bumping into people from BB, now I have moved to a much smaller place, that is a little/lot more closed minded, I am very careful about who knows I am on BB. Too much chance for gossip and stuff to be taken out of context. I do sometimes ruffle feathers, just a combo of being a non-local and having a few different opinions They don't need to know what I say in AO

[maybebaby2012]

I've actually come across two, which is crazy because I haven't been here very long, but unless they say something to me specifically I will respect their privacy, and mine for that matter.

[RhiChiChi]

I do know of someone but they aren't on anymore. I never said anything & I don't really see them anymore, so would be pointless saying anything now. I prefer to be anonymous for myself, not because of them and their posts ITMS? I am careful what I post to some degreee anyway incase someone I know is reading my posts. I wouldn't want to divulge too much personal information on an open forum.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

I'd love to know! A friend of mine joined a little while back, and it was kinda a bucket of cold water on me...and then I realised how awesome it was She and I share very similar views on everything, so it just added another dimension to our friendship. If it was someone I'm not that close with, I'd still like to know so that I could protect myself, making sure I put stuff in private forums.