When you start the blogging game the first thing you've got to think about is what do you call yourself? Not many people use their true identity - be who you like, do what you like, you're in cyber land. In all honesty though, what I write and what interests me is the unvarnished truth and I am who I am. The names have just been changed to protect the guilty. I used to call my blog site Molly Golver until some unmentionables copied chunks of my work and posted them along with some of the comments on their own crumby site. Not amused.
We are surrounded by hills - the one across the valley is called 'Moel y Golfa' (spoken in a broad Mid-Walian accent comes out as 'Molly Golver') and that seemed as good a reason as any. Oh well, plenty more to choose from as they say so 'Some Other Mountain' will do
Moel y Golfa is actually an extinct volcannic area. It has an altitude of 1324 feet and is the highest of a group of three - Moel y Golfa, Middletown Hill and Breidden Hill. Called 'The Marylins' - I don't know why that is but can't help thinking maybe 'Marylin Monroe' but I could be way off track there. I looked up the words Moel y Golfa. Moel is Welsh for a bare hill and Golfa means a tree or a branch. As you look across from west to east just outside Welshpool on the A458, the summit does appear rocky, but as you look across from our house at the foot of the Long Mountain the tapestry of Autumn in the trees is breathtaking.
There is a Romany Monument built right at the top of the 'Moel y'. During construction, a lorry was comandeered to hoik the huge stone to the top. Owing to the slippery steepness of the gradient the lorry laboured and got stuck. The problem was overcome by borrowing cutting down two telegraph poles near by and using them for a sledge. There was also a wager in the Breidden Hotel at Middletown as to who could carry the heaviest load of concrete on his shoulders as far as he could up the mountain - probably a hundred weight something. The competition was won by a man called John and he was rewarded with a liquid lunch of all the ale he could sup.
Why did you call your blog site what you did?
Well, my first blog was called "theramblingmind" which kind of speaks for itself.. I have no idea why I called my current blog thefeatherednest. It just came to me. Much like most of the drivel I write. Possibly my email address (ournest) was rattling around in the back of my mind.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that someone copied your site. How did you find out?
ReplyDeleteI called my home staging business Razmataz as in adding a little razmataz to help sell or in decorating your house. Now I no longer stage but sell product so it still fits someone. The blog was originally to help flaunt the business, but the 14 or so people that actually read it are not customers....so that flopped. Anyway it is there now so I go with it. I someone think about starting a blog with a whole new name and persona.....would it be more real...more followers????
I wondered why you changed your name, that's to bad though! Like Chania, I would be interested to know how you discovered the plagiarism? My name came from the fact that I live on the water and, in the beginning, I thought I would mostly post about houses and decorating...hence the words high style.
ReplyDeleteKat :)
That is too bad about someone hacking your blog, Molly. I didn't know they stole comments too--very rude! Your pictures are lovely, so I can see why someone would want to steal credit for those--I understand it, but it's still a terrible thing to do.
ReplyDeleteMy sister made me do it LOL!
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I love the name you chose. One of my daughters is Molly and I am drawn to that name. When I saw your title and read your blog, I immediately became a follower.
ReplyDeleteI chose my name Starting Over, Making Changes-Maybe because it was the second day of my retirement and that is how I felt that moment. I really never expected anyone to read my blog except family and thought I would only do it for a short time. Ten months later, I am still here. However, I wish I had come up with a better name, but it is too tedious to change now. I might have gone with "Robert Redford's Other Wife".
I do hope that you wrote to that person who plagiarized you and gave them a piece of your mind.
My first was called 'Je t'adore, twenty four'.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the Romany monument for? I love the join between the two large stones.
I Iove the softness of the colour pink, I love my bike, I love the idea of slowing down to enjoy life...as I say... cruising along - one hand for riding the other for ice cream! and so The Pink Bicycle was born!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'm clever enough to keep up a false persona...I would keep slipping back to the real me!
What a beautiful spot, and your photos are just lovely.
ReplyDeleteWhy do people steal content? I thought the whole point about producing a blog was to put your own stamp on the thing and say 'what do you think?'
ReplyDeleteI never had the wit to think of a pseudonym.
You live in a lovely place, Molly(?!??!)
I suppose people copying chunks of your blog was a compliment, Moll - nobody has ever copied any of mine! I eventually guessed why you had your name when you posted a picture of the mountain a year or so ago. Tom Stephenson has been my pen-name for many years before I started blogging, but if I told you how I acquired it, I'd have to kill you, so best not. He is Mr Hyde to my Dr Jekyl.
ReplyDeleteDelores - I like your blog Title. The Feathered Nest' to me it conjures up home and family life which is nice.
ReplyDeleteRaz, Kat, Amy what actually happened, I typed my blog site name into Google Chrome just for curiosity really. About half way down the list was an Indonesian/Chinese site with MG in bold writing. I thought this is a bit strange. Of course I clicked on it and all these delightful pictures (porny)advertising adorning the top and chunks of my blog plus comments underneath though God knows what they thought the connection was. I was furious to say the least. I went through the Google terms of condition and apparently, other than the obvious boundaries they have to keep an open mind and accept all that. I never thought to copyright but doubt that it would have made that much difference anyway. Thankfully since I changed my blog address everything seems to be OK. Perhaps Google did decide to throw them out, I haven't found any more evidence of their crappy site but I do keep a check on things now.
Arleen - I think your title is good - I like it.
Cro - the monument is a tribute memorial to the Romany Chell king of the gypsies. It was put up there a good 20 years ago. I can remember them constructing it.
V - I love your new blog site and you exactly as you are.
Nana - thank you
Chris - I think a few people steal in the name of Money regardless of who they might hurt in the process
Tom - I won't ask then - I like life and I like reading your blog
Apologies for such a long comment but that's what it was.
J - your blog is brilliant
ReplyDeleteMolly, I have clicked on the Traffic Sources on my blog and found that there was a porno site. I never looked further, but rather quickly clicked it off. I also get referring url sites that call themselves trackers (http://pu.gg). I have to say, this makes me nervous.
ReplyDeleteDo you check on your Traffic and the countries from which they originate?
Arleen - the trouble is I am not very computer savvy but you do live and learn. I do look at the traffic sources but don't click on them. I've seen that pugg thing come up too but have never clicked on that either. I discovered what was happening to my old blog through the Google search engine. Isn't it bad when these people spoil and trash such a good social networking site.
ReplyDeleteGood question Molly. It never occurred to me to use any name other than my own.
ReplyDeleteWhat baffles me, is how the Spammers decide to pick on any particular blog?
I got some spam about handbags. I dont think I've ever mentioned handbags on my blog LOL
My blog started out as a garden blog but I found that too limiting so over the years I have widened the brief a bit. I thought the name had a good ring to it and naturally as I live in a cottage with a small garden it seemed like a good idea and I couldn't think of anything more imaginative! Some blogs have the most wonderful names.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise that your old Molly Golver site had been hacked. How awful. I shall check the Traffic Source on mine. I suppose you just don't know what these nasty people are up to. I always make sure never to make my blog too personal with photos, names etc for that very reason. I do think you have to keep a certain sense of anonymity but that doesn't make it any the less real.
We shall continue to call you Molly in any case!
Jeanne
x
Kath & Jeanne I've been reading up on the BT website on how to keep yourself safe.It does make a lot of sense in what they say. The trouble is I'm no computer expert but I am a bit more aware that there are some very dodgey characters out there. I think it's such a shame these people have to spoil things. My blogging friends mean a lot to me and its great when we can share a little bit of each other's lives. Jeanne, Molly is very near my real name so, by all means .... xx
ReplyDeleteGood Golly Miss Molly...since having my aol mail hacked, and knowing what a pain in the you-know-what dealing with that was (I eventually had to close the accound and empty my aol address book), I can sympathize. I'm logging into Google Chrome to have a snoop around myself!.
ReplyDeleteJust one question...if your name isn't really Molly, are the pictures of you...you?
It's my dad's nickname for me, pure and simple. It's a kid of rissole with all sorts of ingredients, a bit like my blog turned out to be.
ReplyDeleteoh, excellent question Molly. my first blog was titled I'm Well Thank You. after a difficult several years of not being well in many respects, I could finally one day respond to the question "how are you?" with "I'm well, thank you". that blog was a bit of a journal towards my recovery. my current blog's title was lifted from a Peter Gabriel song - Shakin' The Tree. I like the lyrics. sometimes I toy with the notion of changing it, or starting anew, but I believe that ultimately I would grow tired of that title too, so it's probably best to stick with what I have. I just love that second of your photos - it's moody and spooky and so so beautiful. always a pleasure to visit you Molly. happy day to you!
ReplyDeleteJ - the pictures are all me. The avatar I took by just pointing my camera in my face and hoping for the best a couple of months ago. So that's what I like like wrinkles and all.
ReplyDeleteI think Friko is just right - all the ingredients are there. I always enjoy what you write.
Becky - I'm so glad you are well again. It must have been a difficult period in your life to get through. I am at this minute playing Peter Gabriel's song on You tube as I'd not heard it before. The lyrics are good and I love his voice. Don't change your blog or blog title - I love them both as they are
What lovely photos! Wales is an amazingly wild beautiful country!
ReplyDeleteI am a little nervous about the hacking up-date after reading your blog.
Hello Susan - thank you so much for your comment.
ReplyDeleteWild in the country, where you live looks amazing too. I loved your story of the snow goose. There are a minority of people who get a kick out of trashing the internet like everything else, but so much of the web is good as is the blogging community we both belong too that it far outweighs the bad. I'm just quite a bit more wary now
my blog.... a novel title about a woman dying in hospital......
ReplyDeletexxx
John I love the title of your blog. It's always reminded me of the Dylan Thomas poem
ReplyDelete'Do not go gentle into that good night
Old age should burn and rave at close of day
Rage, rage against the dying of the light'
Was that what you were thinking when you penned it? I love that poem I could write a blog on it.
Mine came about mainly because I didn't want to have my photo on the blog and I was wondering what I could use instead. I'd made a little blue mouse which I thought I could use for the photo, and the name just followed.
ReplyDelete