Are you a true stalker?

Oh come on, I don't mean the really scary kind, or even the paparazzi kind that the celebs hate (and are really annoying I've seen). I'm talking about the benign type of stalker that just checks in on your sites everyday to see what you are doing, keeps track of little details about you (like hit counts and interesting photos) and knows your birthday. Are you one of those types of stalkers? Have you gotten to know someone purely by following their activities online?

stalker, (noun), 1. someone who walks with long stiff strides, 2. someone who stalks game, 3. prowler: someone who prowls or sneaks about; usually with unlawful intentions.

I like the one with long strides! lol! They must be writing letterbox clues to the boxes I cannot find, "take 30 paces then look for the third bunch of ferns on your right..."

I don't mind having a stalker, to be honest, as I don't have anything to hide. I would not want to have a criminal stalker, however, seeking my ill...but I really didn't need to say that, huh?

I am honored that someone might want to see what I'm blogging about, or what stamps I've carved recently. Are those stalkers that check my blogs daily? Well, if so, then I'm a stalker, too, as I check my blog roll daily of the blogs I'm following to see if anyone shared their heart, pet peeves or favorite photographs for all to see. Actually, if you post something for the public to see, and folks want to see it, does that really make them stalkers? Simply interested? Or living vicariously through the lives of others?

I found THIS interesting website googling 'stalker'. It would seem that stalking warrants it's own homepage, so there must be a lot of folks doing it. (It doesn't look like the website has been updated for quite some time...perhaps the webmaster went into hiding!)

I think there needs to be another moniker for those that 'stalk' blogs and websites for entertainment. In looking in the thesaurus for some suggestions, ironically I found things like pursue...trail, tread, to seek and endeavor. Most appropriate for most letterboxers I know, to be honest! Perhaps letterboxers are the best stalkers out there!

[On a serious note, being stalked by a criminal stalker can be a life-threatening nightmare. If you think that you are being cyber-stalked, seek help and information at The National Center for Victims of Crime website.]