googling myself

My two older kids taught me the fine art of Googling myself. Several years back, they thought it funny that they could Google their own names and get hits, such as their credit for doing the art on the children’s album put out by the dad of my friend, Emily. Whereas if they Googled my name, they’d come up with a Spanish language link to some woman in South America.

It’s gotten better. Hosting a blog with my name as the domain certainly helps. (Although you may remember that I had to change the kids’ names on the blog, to prevent the blog from coming up whenever their names got searched. The older two didn’t much like that.) Now some of my writing gets Google hits, as does the fact that I’ve spoken at our local homeschool conference.

So every once in a while I Google myself, just to check in–and to make sure my kids aren’t getting more hits than I am these days.

Last night I tried again. There was a new link–and lo and behold, I’ve been quoted.

It’s on a site for distance learning in British Colombia. On the page titled Our History, there is that quote from Marianne Williamson, the one that is often erroneously attributed to Nelson Mandela, which starts off, Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…

And then below it there is the following: Don’t think about grade levels. Grades are for eggs and maple syrup. – Patricia Zaballos

Ha! That’s a line from the homeschooling essay I wrote for Mothering magazine (which I will link here soon; it’s been a year since it was published, so I now have that right.) But oh, it tickles me to be casually quoted along with, you know, Marianne Williamson. On different pages there are quotes from Mark Twain and Pablo Picasso, among others. Hee hee. Yeah, Picasso and me: we like to hang out.

Have you Googled yourself lately?

9 comments… add one
  • cristiano May 27, 2009 @ 14:51

    If you think googling yourself is fun you should try yahooing yourself!

  • Unka Bee May 27, 2009 @ 16:51

    Are you sure you Dad has not been quoted a few times? Or is he just a ‘stick-out” expert.

  • suzee May 28, 2009 @ 6:31

    It’s a great quote, and the only surprise is that you haven’t found yourself quoted before! You always have wise things to say.

  • molly May 28, 2009 @ 8:56

    my kids love to google themselves. i have to admit that i’ve done it too 🙂 i was thrilled a few summers ago when i googled my blog and it actually showed up at the top of the results (used to be way down the list because google thought i meant “a prairie home companion”).

    thanks for visiting my little corner of the blogosphere! i think a lot of people are surprised that i’m in california. looks like you might be in the bay area? i saw a picture of the adventure playground in your flickr photos (yes, i did a little snooping). i’ve been chatting with another homeschooling blogger from berkeley about meeting up at that park – maybe we should plan a little homeschooling-bloggy meet-up sometime this summer. just an idea.

    • patricia May 28, 2009 @ 11:15

      Hi Molly,

      Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit–and especially for snooping! 🙂

      Yep, I’m in the East Bay. I wonder if I’ve run across your Berkeley homeschooling friend–we East Bay homeschoolers definitely cross paths. And we would love to meet you at the Adventure Playground. It’s one of my seven-year-old’s favorite places, and we don’t get there enough. Do let me know if you plan a trip into town!

      Do you ever go to the HSC Homeschool Conference in Sacramento in August? That’s a little closer to your neck of the woods, I think. I’ll be there again this year. It’s always a fun, inspiring time.

  • melissa s. May 29, 2009 @ 1:34

    I love that quote. Your article sits forefront on my stack of homeschooling inspiration items. I’m off to google myself 🙂

  • susan May 30, 2009 @ 5:24

    I googled you as it is more interesting than googling myself and found that quotation comes up pretty often, and rightly so, very pithy.

  • Kristin May 30, 2009 @ 15:01

    Hi Patricia,

    You’ve been self-disciplined about writing for years and your hard work is paying off. It must feel great to be recognized for your effort. One of these days, I’m going to be able to say on my blog: google patricia zaballos and buy her _?_ book because it is full of insightful information and it is very well written. I can’t wait.

    • patricia May 30, 2009 @ 15:28

      Melissa, Susan and Kristin: Thanks. You are some of my greatest personal cheerleaders. Rah rah rah! I’m so lucky to have your support.

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