benlehman

It really is a fascinating issue that personal blogs have created. I know exactly what you mean; it's strange to think that there are people out there whom I've never talked to, and yet if I did, they'd know about my family, my dreams and aspirations, and my rants, while I may not know a thing about them.

As a counter-example, I've never met Vincent nor talked to him other than on his blog or the Forge, but I've read through his site extensively... including his older stuff on what it's like to grow up Mormon and so on. It was just very interesting stuff. Now I have this weird feeling that I *know* him as I know a friend, even though he barely knows anything about me in return and we've never really talked. That's what putting your life out there for other people to read will do.

Interestingly, it's a phenomenon that celebrities are familiar with. Their lives are public, and when they meet people on the street, those people often know a lot about them and act as if they're mutual friends.

Now, as to what to do about it, it depends on how much it bothers you. I friends-lock entries that I think are too personal for just anyone to see, and I don't have a big friends list. But if it was entirely too personal, why would I post it at all? So some things I keep to myself. Others I put out there for people to see, and I don't mind them knowing those things about me.

So my suggestion is to go that way--make a judgment call on each entry individually rather than sanitizing or completely locking your journal.