Privacy Expectations and Information Sharing

We're in a new neighborhood that's largely empty.  We have builders start homes from time to time, but they're usually pre-sales as this economy has made banks unwilling to loan money to builders for spec-houses.

Since there are so few of us, we try to keep in touch and look out for each other the best we can.  Most of the time this is through emails to a list of emails that's gotten more out of date as time has gone on.  My husband and I also realized we had no idea who's name went with which email and even who some of the new neighbors were.

I decided to build a spreadsheet and send it out to everyone asking if they'd like to be part of a neighborhood members list.  I contacted the agent on site and he kindly helped me out with not only names and spellings of people I'd only talked to, but many missing emails as well.

I created a spreadsheet with basic information filled in (address, lot number, owners names and emails) and then added columns for additional things like phone numbers, children, etc.  But I didn't want to fill in more than I should.  Some people value their privacy.  I wanted to make sure I didn't share information with anyone who didn't want it shared.

I included all of our information though.  I asked for people to let me know what information they'd like to share, and I'd update the spreadsheet.  I also said that if people wanted to be excluded, to please let me know.  I hoped I handled the fine line of being friendly, and sharing information appropriately.

Aside from the emails, everything else is available in tax records.  And without the emails, there isn't much communication going on unless you want to go old-school paper mail—and I didn't.  So far, so good.  I've had some good responses and one person asking if the file could be marked confidential or some such so that people know this isn't to be shared outside of the neighborhood members.   Hopefully the rest of the responses will be as positive.


The Big Boy Update:  Spooning.  He's working on using utensils.  We've let him have utensils before, and until recently it's been a novelty—a fun device that he plays with until he's ready to get down and eat by sticking his hand in the bowl.  Now he seems interested in how you get the food on the spoon and get it into your mouth without dropping it all in your lap.  He's been trying different spoons, including the one I had when I was a baby and so far, he's not starving. 


The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  The car stopped moving!  She's great in the car, unless she's not.  Most of the time she's fine but every now and then she's just ready to be there or to get out of the seat or she needs to fall asleep.  When this happens, she's quiet as long as the car is moving.  The minute you stop at a red light... WAAAAAH... Yeah, no fun.  And red lights take twice as long when you have a crying baby.  It's a fact.


Right-size Countdown:  13.8 pounds to go