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May 7, 2008

Question of the week: Recognized

It’s only happened once.

The last night I was in New York, I met up with several friends from my program to watch a UCLA game in the bar of the Sheraton. UCLA had a comfy lead through the half, so the group decided to turn in for the night — several were jetlagged and/or had early presentations the next morning. I walked back to the Hilton, a block away, with P and the guys to pick up my coat.

As P and I walked out of the Hilton to our hotel 5 blocks away, she bumped into some friends and fellow conference attendees. I’d met one of the guys, my tocayo in fact, at a few of the receptions earlier in the week. P talked to him for a few minutes and caught up. It seems like the world of Latino educational researchers is quite small. El tocayo was with a young woman. He introduced her to P. He didn’t introduce me, but she talked to me herself.

“You’re Cindy, right?” she asked quite sure of herself.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“From Lotería Chicana? I read your blog,” she confessed.

“Oh cool.”

She proceeded to explain that she was also attending the conference and was a graduate student at another California university.

Soon after, P and I walked back to our hotel a few blocks east.

Since then (and before then), no one has ever admitted to recognizing me from my blog while out in public.

It’s kinda weird, but cool.

La Pregunta: Have you ever been recognized from your blog (or other online community) while in public*? If so, what was it like? And if you saw me out on the street or on the bus or in Trader Joe’s, would you say hi**?

*I know there are blog meet-ups and other reunions of online communities (e.g., flickr mixrs), but I don’t include that in my definition of “public.”

**I’d be nice. I don’t bite.

Filed under: Preguntas | POSTED BY cindylu AT 11:28 pm | 20 Comments

20 Responses to “Question of the week: Recognized”

  1. pea Says:
    May 8th, 2008 at 6:44 am

    I have so few readers that I’d be incredibly shocked if someone ever recognized me from the blog.

    I’d say hi.

  2. Alan Says:
    May 8th, 2008 at 7:56 am

    the day i get recognized as having the digital sexy time blog will be the day my awesomeness comes in full circle.

  3. Seanathan Says:
    May 8th, 2008 at 8:19 am

    Only in the Okayplayer days when I’d walk on the street and somebody would be like, “Melanism?”

    My blog isn’t that popular that people would recognize me.

  4. lex Says:
    May 8th, 2008 at 9:09 am

    One of these days, when I do finally run into you, I may just forget myself and go up and hug you before I realize that I don’t “actually” know you in real life. :)

  5. punk rock mom Says:
    May 8th, 2008 at 9:13 am

    Yes! At a restuarnat that we eat ate often and I have blogged about. The owner recognized us, thanked us for our rave reviews and gave us free shirts! It was very cool and I toally felt famous!

  6. Abbi Says:
    May 8th, 2008 at 11:46 am

    Hi, I’ve been lurking for a while . . .

    Pt 1: I highly doubt anyone wld recognize me from my blog — only readers are ppl who know me in “real life.”

    Pt. 2: Since I’m also in school at UCLA I’ve been thinking maybe I’d run into you, but it hasn’t happened yet. I’m shy though, so I don’t think I’d say anything unless I was feeling really confident or something.

  7. César Says:
    May 8th, 2008 at 1:42 pm

    A few years ago, when I had my blog a girl yelled at a coffee shop: ¡El Más Chingón! It startled the hell out of me. Before then, it hadn’t occurred to me that people were actually reading. Last year, I was at my wife’s friend’s art show, and another artist I’ve known for several years, admitted to me, “Hey, man, why did you stop blogging. I loved to read your stuff.”

    “You read my stuff, but… I didn’t know you back then,” I said.

    “I guess I was lurking,” he chuckles.

  8. mooch16 Says:
    May 8th, 2008 at 4:45 pm

    i would definitely go up to you and say “hello”.

  9. soledadenmasa Says:
    May 8th, 2008 at 11:26 pm

    Oh god, if someone came up to me and called me “soledad en masa” I would cringe. It’s cool that I’m recognized, but I’d rather be called by my name.

  10. Carmen Says:
    May 9th, 2008 at 7:23 am

    i’m a long time loyal and devoted lurker (i adore your blog). I think if i ever get so lucky to run into you, i would be star struck and who knows what i’ll do, but i hope i get past my nerves and say hello and thank you for the hours of entertainment you’ve provided :-)

  11. edraid Says:
    May 9th, 2008 at 7:44 am

    I think I get more recognition for my youtube antics than my blog. Don’t know what that says…hmm.

  12. Pearmama Says:
    May 9th, 2008 at 9:29 am

    My church has a huge blog community, so I’ve had people come up to me and say, “Oh you’re pearmama right?” And I swear I stand frozen for a second (because my name is Denise) and my mind goes over all the stuff I’ve written and its really embarrassing!

    “It’s so funny! I love your blog.” My husband calls them my *superstar moments*. H a t e r. Ahahahhaahaa.

    I would totally say hi to you. :)

  13. yoyi Says:
    May 9th, 2008 at 2:21 pm

    haha! i would totally laugh and point at you! hehe just kidding! love ya sister! :)

  14. Oscar Says:
    May 9th, 2008 at 7:31 pm

    I always get starstruck by Cindy Lu. I’m shocked the few times it happened because I assume people don’t read my page but actually do. It’s always cool to hear what people feel about your blog that aren’t already your friends. I never knew blogging would change my last name to Oscar Scenestar. Always funny! P.S. We still need to go to a Dodgers game Cindy so I can show you the secret entrance.

  15. EL CHAVO! Says:
    May 11th, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    I really hope nobody ever recognizes me on the street, as I kind of like not being known! Though if I saw you on the street I think you might recognize me, or at least i hope. ;) It’s kinda fun being able to walk up to LA bloggers and say “hi, I’m ——–, you might know me as EL CHAVO!” I’ve yet to get punched, though I am expecting it shortly.

  16. chimatli Says:
    May 11th, 2008 at 7:33 pm

    Cindy, when you came to our tamalada, a small buzz filled the room because you were recognized first as a Flickr friend and then for your blog. I’m sad that I didn’t recognize “soledad en masa” until the end of the night!

  17. sin vergüenza Says:
    May 12th, 2008 at 9:08 pm

    I saw you at NACCS and then had a little debate with myself: is it creepier to know who she is and not say anything or to walk up to a total stranger and say “You don’t know me, but I’m all up in your business via your blog– nice to meet you”?

    Shyness won out and I ran away– creepy (non)interaction completely avoided.

    ni modo.

  18. cindylu Says:
    May 13th, 2008 at 6:42 pm

    Pea,
    Yay! I’d say hi too.

    Alan,
    I think people will recognize your gigantor noisy camera before they recognize you.

    Seanathan,
    OKP is a different story all together. Nothing like that every happened to be. Besides, lots of people call me Cindylu, so I’d be like, “how do you know me?”

    Lex,
    Hah! That’d be interesting. I think once you explained, I wouldn’t feel so weird about a random hug. Of course, it would probably help if you had your cute kids with you.

    Punk Rock Mom.
    That restaurant story was so cool! At least you got something free out of it.

    Abbi,
    Maybe you will run into me, if I ever leave my office. Hah.

    César,
    I was kinda jealous when I read that story a while ago. I was like, “I wanna be recognized!” It’s different when it actually happens, of course. I wonder if it woulda been different if the person who recognize me was like, “oh, it’s me Fulana, I comment all the time.”

    Mooch,
    I think I’d recognize you. I don’t see too many monkeys around.

    Soledadenmasa,
    I could see how being called by your blog title/URL would be weird.

    Carmen,
    Thanks for commenting and reading! I don’t see how anyone would be star struck to meet me, but it seems cool nonetheless.

    Edraid,
    Why have I not seen these YouTube antics?

    Pearmama,
    That’s cool. Your husband is just jealous of your popularity.

    Yoyi,
    And then I’d kick you!

    Oscar,
    Yes! We need to make this Dodger game (what secret entrance?) happen! I’ll always know you as Oscar from MEChA de PCC.

    Chavo,
    Anonymity must be fun. You can get away with a lot. And I’d definitely recognize you. I might even ask if you had any tamales or homemade beer. Don’t tell anyone on a bike you’re El Chavo… that might be interesting…

    Chimatli,
    I still think that’s funny. Now you got me thinking about tamales and I’m already hungry… ummm.

    sin vergüenza,
    Aw, too bad I didn’t get to meet you. I wouldn’t have been creeped out about that.

  19. Man Eegee Says:
    May 14th, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    I’ve been to a few meetups over the years, but this past March when I was in DC for a conference/blogger training, it was bizarre to meet people who only know you from your writing. Since we were a room full of geeks, the field was somewhat level, but yeah it can be a trip! Hope to cross paths with you one day, love what you have to offer here. paz

  20. hembradecorazón Says:
    May 20th, 2008 at 10:57 pm

    a few years ago i was a fierce poster in the chalino.com forums, which targets an audience mainly from california. one night i was at party in chicago (my hometown) and this girl came up to me and she was like “OMG, are you ::insert username here::??!”

    i was like, uhhhhh….. yeah!

    so we spoke briefly. i don’t remember about what, but i was nice.

    i felt sooo cool.

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