Dozing polar bear, Indianapolis Zoo

Monday, December 17, 2007

Googlery

Kristy has a post up about googling oneself, and how that doesn't necessarily reflect vanity so much as common sense in an era when even employers are looking you up online. Of course, I hopped over to Google and plugged in Mr. T's name. Let him be the guinea pig. The second result is an article he and I wrote together six years ago for the magazine of a local environmental nonprofit. Almost everything else is about an expert on China who shares his name. This is kind of funny, considering that Mr. T has been to China fifteen times, and so considers himself sort of an unofficial expert.

Then I popped in my own name. Back when I worked at Big Law Firm, my bio on that website was always the first result. Now that honor is held by a watercolor painter. There is also a psychiatrist from Eugene, an actress who did an appearance on Scrubs, and creepily enough, a alum from one of my schools who is dead. I got bored before I dug deeply enough to find an item that actually mentioned me.

For all the reasons Kristy mentions in her post, I've kept a low internet profile on purpose for the last few years. Maybe I'll do something outrageous soon and change all that.

6 comments:

Jennifer (ponderosa) said...

Or, you could buy your name as a doman (mountaintime.com, using your blog as an example) and stick your bio up there. That would get you in the top 10 and you wouldn't have to get crazy : )

Anonymous said...

Name twins are really scary people! My husband has one who is a race car driver from Sioux Falls, SD. Not too bad, but I'd rather had a China expert personally. As bad as it is to think of an employer judging you for what exists about you online, imagine if you had to take the blame (credit?) for a name twin. Terrifying, I tell ya!

Trailhead said...

My name domain is already taken! I found that out when I went to set up a website for my photography. So I've reserved something close -- I think it's MyNamePhoto.net, but I doubt that'll get me into the top ten. It's going to have to be something outrageous, I think!

Kristy, Mr. T would prefer the race car driver from Sioux Falls. And yeah, I'd rather not take the blame/credit for the other Me's. Except that one woman has some nice paintings.

A Lewis said...

SCARY! Isn't it? Amazing and weird what you can find out there.

Anonymous said...

When I've googled my name I got a famouse Coatian soccer player.

I've had some art published in Comic books but you have to be specific in the search. it does not come up that easy.

Guess I'm not famous :-(
But I'm a legend in my own head

-toots-

Trailhead said...

But I'm a legend in my own head

Well, speaking for myself, that's the only place that matters, really. :)