Weekend geolocation at the Hollywood Cemetery
... Is a good reminder to be careful with your Instagram activity
Dear readers, thank you so much for being patient with me as I continue to mourn my father (more on that below). In the meantime, however, here is an important breakdown of a geolocation challenge!
So, a few weeks ago, I tweeted this:
I was correctly geolocated in five minutes flat:
Jeff also helpfully provided information about John Woodburn Davies:
I had chosen the gravesite on a lark. We did many pictures around Hollywood Cemetery, and I settled on this one because it was a) sufficiently mysterious, but not impossible to figure out, due to how distinct the features are and b) Itβs a gravesite with a story!
As other responses came in, we established a good methodology for how I was geolocated:
What a great breakdown, huh?
Itβs also a good reminder of precisely what I was talking about in my original tweet. My digital footprint was always going to help narrow this one down.
Itβs one of the reasons I have both a public and a private Instagram. The public one is great for providing supplemental info for challenges, goofing off, and promoting my βbrand.β But the private one is where I would post if I didnβt want many people to know that I was traveling to Richmond, VA, for example.
If youβve had privacy concerns in the past, you know exactly what Iβm talking about. If you havenβt consider a situation wherein I had some old, maybe not entirely pleasant ex-boyfriend in Richmond. Would I necessarily want to give away that I was in town? My own experiences with unpleasant exes (I only really have a couple and the rest are great, to be fai), lead me to state that the answer is NO.
If you have a sensitive job, you especially might want a crowbar separation between information intended for a small circle of people and information that is simply out there.
While we are at it, Charlotte noticed my dress:
I was comfortable telling her, and everyone else who might be reading, exactly where I purchased it from:
Why is this important? Well, data breaches happen. A lot. Because I use password randomizers, I was OK in pointing out that my dress was made by Marine Layer, however. Still, itβs something to think about if youβre going to publicly state where you shop.
Please note that GoogleLens was NOT used in helping geolocate me, even though the gravesite is distinct. Google, however, is always learning.
Meanwhile, Sherri recognized the angle in the photo and was able to use Flickr:
In hindsight, it felt appropriate to do a beautiful, historic cemetery challenge.
The place where my father was laid to rest in Ukraine is similarly historic. Six generations of our relatives have lived there now, and his body is among those who loved him. I havenβt given away the specific location, but I might in the future.
If you want to scroll back, itβs exactly the same cemetery where my paternal grandfather was laid to rest β the story about that was featured in the inaugural essay on this Substack. My son was the one doing most of the crying this time. And as for me, I was making the mourners laugh. I know now that it is good and right to do so.
I am really grateful for all of the reader support, and I am grateful to be able to share stories of my wonderful, hilarious father. He encouraged me to start this project, and it will continue in his honor.
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