With a promotion approaching, CPT Dick is soon to be MAJ Dick. With that, he will be out of command and I will step down from FRG leadership.
A friend, who knows my super-secret identity, asked me if I plan to lose the anonymity on this blog once that happens.
It's interesting -- I really hadn't considered the idea until she mentioned it. Now I can't stop thinking about it. Part of me has always cringed a bit at being anonymous. Although it has been smart for this stage in both my and my husband's career, it has always struck me as slightly cowardly.
Most of what I write on this blog is stuff I am perfectly comfortable saying in public. But in the right arena to the right people. I don't tend to tell my mother-in-law she's crazy to her face, nor do I insult the only therapists available over here when I need them to still provide services to my kid. If I did go public, I'd have to revamp the blog a little. I'd have to remove some old postings (mainly the ones pertaining to said crazy mother-in-law) and I probably would avoid drinking and blogging. As much as I say that I have only one face, I have to admit that being anonymous has offered me a unique freedom to purge what's happening in my world without direct consequences.
So I'm turning the question over to you, dear readers. What say you? Do you think there is value in removing the mask at this point (you know, those of you who haven't already figured out who I am)? Or should I just continue the ride I started?
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8 comments:
I've been slowly losing the anonymity. And it has affected what I about.
One thing to think about it future employment opportunities.
Personally, I think you ought to keep the anonymity. It gives you the ability to continue to write what you TRULY think, instead of having to edit your thoughts for others.
Keep it going! :-)
Perhaps I have a vested interest, because I get a kick out of reading the uncensored NEE. But if I were in your position, I'd keep the anonymity.
I stay unknown mostly out of respect for my sweetie, his very prviate nature, and his career. I've already discovered that something I think is a totally innocent comment can have negative consequences in the Army world, and I don't want to embarrass him any more than I already do in the real world. :-)
Besides, since I suspect MAJ-promotable Dick is a lifer like mine, there's a chance we'll be the wives of battalion or brigade commanders one day, and under even closer scrutiny. And as BW points out, there's employment prospects to consider as well. I'd hate to have my blog end up biting me, or my sweetie, in the ass.
I could just be extremely paranoid, but that doesn't mean everyone's not out to get me!
I considered canning the pretense of being anonymous a year or so ago, as you may recall, but caution won out - plus, it makes J feel better, and I don't care enough either way to make him uncomfortable about it. Really, though, it wouldn't be hard to figure it all out in my case anyway.
From a military standpoint: It really doesn't matter as I don't post anything that would jeopardize OPSEC, I post less and less about the military all the time, and I have basically no contact with the military community anyway. So, meh.
From a personal standpoint: I do feel freer to speak my mind if I'm theoretically not identifiable - although someone recently outed me, more or less, in the comments. It would still take some work to put it all together, however.
I guess overall I'm leaning toward staying permanently "anonymous" if only because I know Kimbaland won't show up by Googling my name, as Butterfly Wife mentioned above. But I don't stress too much about it either way.
Vague enough? ;-)
I went from using real names to trying to be more anonymous. I sometimes wish I'd started that way. My family knows about my blog (they are part of the reason I started it), therefore I'm not completely anonymous and it does affect what I write. As for staying anonymous, I don't think it's cowardly. It does allow you to write things that are personal without allowing people to be completely in your business, so to speak.
I went by ADOD for the longest time; then, I started getting hits from people who wanted information on a very naughty acronym of which I was not aware. That's when I started using my first name. Friends and family were already reading anyway, so it didn't matter.
The Pilot never wants his name used, and that's cool. Our last names are different, sort of. Geographically I can't help myself--it's too much a part of what I write about.
I started my blog around the time the Pilot and I started dating. I was anonymous because I worked in academia. And, it was freeing. I'm caring less and less about people knowing who I am when I write because I am less invested in an academic career. I think it just takes some getting used to... Sorry about the long response...
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the feedback. My instinct is to stay anonymous -- for the reasons you all mentioned and more -- but with the Internet hiding so many nasty anonymous posters, I just wondered if maybe I should reconsider.
I'm late NEE, but I agree with the majority. Remain anonymous and keep being your real self, unedited. You have given me so much insight and so much hearty laughter, if you couldn't say what you really thought it would be a sad thing.
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