coming out

I've been thinking about facades and identity, about who I am versus who I was; about who is this blogger chick named nina versus this woman named Janeen.  In life I hide behind my writing, and in this blog I hide behind my pseudonym.  I'm not so sure this is healthy for me any longer.  I have no idea exactly how things are going to change to reflect that.  But they are, indeed, changing.

Comments

[Mikey]

YAY!!! Now the stalking begins.

I'm kidding you know.

[GraceD]

Yeah, but can I still call you Nina?

Stalkers beware; I will cut you if you mess with my girl.

[Mikey]

I like Nina. Stay with Nina

[Sour Duck]

Congratulations! If that's the most appropriate thing to say... and I think in this case it is. ;)

"I'm not so sure this is healthy for me any longer."

This is a really interesting question, and highly personal, of course. It depends on your Life Circumstances. My anon status means I can say things that I don't feel I have the license to say as myself (without there being unhelpful/ unnecessary reprocussions).

"But they are, indeed, changing."

I look forward to reading them - and nice touch with the photo, by the way. ;)

[jill]

Hmmmm,

I like the whole Nina thing.

[Kimberly]

Hello, Janeen!

You know that I'll come around whichever name you use. And I'm backing GraceD up on the stalker warning.

(Grace, I've known Janeen's "real" name for almost a year, and I still call her Nina sometimes.)

[Mquest]

Nice to meet you Janeen. You can call me Mike-- but, I think I will still call you Nina.

[Jane]

Between rock bands and magazine writing pseudonyms and now multiple blogs, I've had so many identities, it's amazing that I recognize myself in the mirror. I think it's kind of fun.

[raehan]

I use a pseudonym to keep my kids safe. I don't think of it as hiding behind it.

I'm glad I found you through Kimberly and Michele!

[Melissa]

Hi Nina. Kimberly and Michele sent me here.

I hid behind a net-ID for the first ten years I was online, but when I started blogging, I gradually shed the nicknames.

I still don't post anything I wouldn't want to see in the paper, to my most public sites, but I'm pretty open.

And that, I think, IS healthy.

Lovely to encounter a new site. I'll be back.

[Des]

hey. michele sent. very philosiphical blog. i understand what u mean.

[Kitty]

Hi Nina/Janeen, Michele sent me.

I write as Kitty on my blog, my name is Kate. I don't use Kitty to hide who I am, it's just a nickname that I've had for years and I like it. I recently met a fellow blogger IRL for the first time and she started calling me Kitty and it brought it home to me that that is how she knew me, as Kitty. It was quite weird :)

[Marie]

Hi Janeen/Nina! Good to meet you... good luck with your transformation (?) / unveiling...

Michele & Kimberly sent me!

[Nancy]

Hi, Michele and Kimberly sent me...

Good luck w. figuring out who you are and who you want to be...

[E]

Hi, I'm here from Michele's as well...I loved this post. Just last night, I went back through my archives and I saw the progression from initials for myself and my family (my kids were "son #1" and "son #2" for quite a while) to the point where I got more comfortable sharing my real identity. It's kind of like, the more the site becomes a part of you, the more you feel like revealing.

I like your site - I'll be back to read some more!

[Sarcasmom]

I'm visiting from Michele/Kimberly. I know what you mean about your identity. I think my blogger me and the real me have actually meshed into the same person. At first I need the anonimity, but I have gotten braver as time goes on.

[courtney]

Having always gone with my real identity, although somewhat edited, I can't empathize with your situation. If you have a lot of readers, keep the blog identity.

How was BlogHer? Did you get to meet Heather Armstrong?

Here via Kimberly/Michele.

[courtney]

Apparently, I need to scroll more. Oops...

[Paula]

Sometimes I wish I were more anon so I could share personal stuff as I see others do, but then again I like communicating with real peeps who know who I am, too. I use a "pen name," but it's not truly any sort of disguise, plus family members know about my blog. Good luck!

(Visiting via Michele/Kimberly.)

[mercuryfern]

Hello, Michberly sent me.
Names are complicated. Sometimes its freeing to have an alterego, sometimes it's constraining. I recently trashed one online identity and it's accompanying blog because I was feeling trapped by it. Under this new name, I'm less shy and I'm writing much more. Of course, neither of my names had anything to do with the one of my birth certificate, so it's a bit different than where you are. Good luck figuring it out.

[mean_girl]

How about we call you JaNina? Happy medium? Blend the two halves?

Good for you~ coming out of the closet is never easy!! *wink*

here via Michele/Kimberly~

[Shannin]

Hi, here via Michele/Kimberly...

I was always "out there" in my blog. I figured no one I know would see the blog anyway, and so far no one has. I wouldn't be surprise if my mom all of a sudden mentioned it. That would be just like her....

[tanya]

Yeah, but what if Nina's your real name and Janeen's your pen name? :)

Nice to meet you! I'm here via michele.

[beemerman]

I'm here on my own accord. Don't know Michelle or Kimberly, though they appear to be good people. I knew you first as Janeen, so it's hard for me to call you Nina. Where did "Nina" come from anyway? I'm sure you told me, but I have forgotten at some point along the way.

[War Eagle]

Kimberly sent me from Michele's.