Back in the day as my daughter would say (referring to some ancient time like 3 years ago), I used to post and comment under my real first name - John . I just shrugged and thought, that's anonymous enough. Plus, if I ended up at the blog of a gorgeous prostitute, she'd feel completely comfortable with me.
A few months ago when I discovered Spanish Inquisitor (neither prostitute, nor gorgeous) and started commenting frequently there, I discovered the obvious flaw in my thinking. There are a whole bunch of John's out here. As a guest at his blog, I quickly switched to John B. for a while. Then I noticed most people use the names of their blog. Evolutionary Middleman seemed too long. EM seemed too short. But Goldie John decided that John Evo-Mid was JUST RIGHT!
But it looks really odd and doesn't say anything. What the hell is an "evo-mid"? The Exterminator has referred to me in a number of ways. Some I won't repeat. I kind of like one though - John Evo. That's an easy change to make and no one who is familiar with me and my comments will be thrown off.
Then again...
Over the years I've posted hundreds of comments at sites like the Skeptics Society, Richard Dawkins, Bloggingheads.tv and The Young Turks and I've always posted under Happy Hominid. It's a little weird and offbeat, which I like. It says how I see myself. I'm a hominid - indicative of my acceptance of our evolutionary past (did you know that "Homo sapiens" drives fundies absolutely nuts? "I'm not a Homo! And I'm not a Homo sapiens... I'm a MAN goddammit... er... oh Lord. Please forgive me for using Your name in vain, but this goddamn atheist... oh SHIT!" But I digress). The "Happy" part of it is kind of ironic, because I'm not all that happy. I know we aren't supposed to say that, because "we" can live full and happy lives and do it without gods and all that crap. But what the hell, I'm not all that happy. It isn't going to change how I feel about the universe. Plus, I really DO try to be as happy as I can be. Most regular readers here would probably guess that I'm a fairly happy guy. So whether I'm forcing it our not is really irrelevant.
I thought though, that I'd leave it you. On the sidebar is a poll with some possibilities. "John Evo-Mid", "John Evo", "Happy Hominid" and "This is the most self-indulgent poll ever" Please click on one sometime between now and Tuesday. We'll all be able to see what the winner is and I swear to go by it and not change it anymore (except I refuse to call myself "This is the most self-indulgent poll ever". If that one wins, then I'll go with second place.
I feel like this post is bringing out my feminine side. Hmmm.... I kind of dig it. Weird.
Friday, November 09, 2007
A Fitting Pseudonym
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25 comments:
Wait a minute. The Happy Hominid? That sounds like a kiddie show host from back in the '50s. All you need is a theme song and bow tie.
I realize it may be too late, but if we're playing "What to name the baby," I'd like to suggest:
Evil John Evol
You might also want to go for an acronym of that long sucker over on the right: Tit Ms. Ipe. Or, perhaps you can invent a pronunciation for it: Tittems Yippee!
How about hooking up with some Hollyood star so we can call you (collectively, of course): Evogelina, or Johnifer, or Mid-onna.
Anagrams are cool:
John Evo-Mid = Jove Homnid. Or the vaguely Indian-sounding Homni Vedjo. Or Jodi H. Venom.
I think that last one is my pick.
LOL!!
You are too funny! I guess I should have had you set up the poll. Though I would probably REALLY be feeling my feminine side with some of those names.
JODI? damn...
OK, how about:
An evil super-scientist, Jehovo Mind?
Or a judge, Hon. Jed O'Vim?
Or a veterinarian, Joie Noh, DVM
Doctor? Joe V. Honi, MD.
Gay porn star? J. Homo DeVin.
I must stop now.
Yes! You MUST!
Lordy... look what I started.
Thank Darwin there aren't enough syllables to make a haiku out of it. No one better accuse you of lack of creativity or lack of free time on a Friday night!
Hmm, so your name has evolved from one which blends with the environment to progressively standing out more from it. That seems counter to Evolution. Curious.
I like Happy Hominid for some reason, although, being resistant to change, I will feel odd referring to you as anything but John the Evolutionary Middleman. That is a lot of typing though, but we regularly indulge in shorthand. SI, Ex, and I usually get PC (ironic since I'm entirely Mac based). You can be JEM. Perhaps a little too pre-pubescent girlie, but easy to type. HH would be even easier.
No matter what, this is a self-indulgent poll. ;)
Philly, I'm glad someone finally said the obvious. It really is painfully self-indulgent. If I were one to embarrass easily...
I find the "PC" ironic, not because of the MAC thing (who would even know, had you not shared), but because you are not politically correct.
Well, of course, it's only "counter to Evolution" if you need to blend in. If you're very poisonous, for example, you try to be obvious so things won't eat you by mistake. Not that I'm implying anything about John Evo-Mid (which how I think of him, being a newcomer to this blog)...
Ridger -
Evo Viper?
Happy Copperhead?
John Herpetological Middleman?
By the way, folks, welcome Ridger as the newest member of the Non-Believing Literati. I have a feeling she will make my essays look weak, but that's not too hard.
Reading her blog has the feel of someone steeped in a literature background.
Don't sweat it. I change avatars like I change clothes. it doesn't do to get too anal about it.
"Don't sweat it. I change avatars like I change clothes. it doesn't do to get too anal about it."
Well, avatars a kind of different, doncha think? I mean, I switch purses and... er... work boots and baseball caps all the time, but I still have people call me the same thing.
Plus, I'm a GUY. We're supposed to be solid like a rock or something. I think. Exterminator? Philly Chief? Inquisitor? Help me out here...
Hey, you're the one who brought up your feminine side. And now you want help?
Seriously? I think the pseudonym a blogger uses -- yes, and the avatar, too, if you have one -- is like a trademark. Each of us struggles to create a unique identity here in blogworld. The most important way to announce your persona, of course, is by your own particular writing style, your tone of voice, and the subjects you choose. But a close second is the name you use to identify yourself. I actually know the real names of some of the bloggers I read regularly; but I don't think of them by those names. I think of them by their pseudonyms, and even, sometimes, by their pseudonicknames.
To me, you're John Evo-Mid, nickname John-Evo. I'd definitely get used to Happy Hominid, for instance, or Jodi H. Venom, but you wouldn't be exactly the same. If Coke suddenly changed its name to Bubble-ola, it would still be the drink we all know. But wouldn't it seem different somehow?
Hmmmm... "Bubble-ola".
I may add one more to the poll.
pseudonym/avatar... not really much difference there. Like the exterminator(exterminator??? whot's that all about?) say's, "we are struggling to create a unique identity here in blogworld."
I talk to some of my of blog friends on the phone. Funny thing is I STILL think of them by their blogger personas.
I wonder what it would be like if I met them in real life?
I have a blogger friend that did meet one of her blogger buddies in real life. It turned out badly...
You know, "in real life" people that switch identities a lot are prob. not to be trusted, but in the blogesphere it's different. There are still rules of course, the level of honesty is in proportion to the probability of confrontation
Handmaiden said: "(exterminator??? whot's that all about?)"
From the top of his blog -
""[T]ouch a solemn truth in collision with a dogma of a sect, though capable of the clearest proof, and you will soon find you have disturbed a nest, and the hornets will swarm about your legs and hands, and fly into your face and eyes." - John Adams, 1814"
Make sense now?
John, thanks for relaying the quote. However, if handmaiden had been truly curious it would have been a simple matter to click directly to my blog.
Life is an endless learning experience. Perhaps what she'll take from this is a lesson I started applying long ago - Only assume the best until they show you the worst.
Welcome, Ridger!
I like the simplicity of John-Evo and it seems to be leading at this moment. Though, it would have been fun to have a write-in candidate.
O'Girl, that's what the comments are for! Didn't you see what Exterminator did to me?
"I like the simplicity of John-Evo"
Doesn't everyone? Even my adversaries...
That's John, actually taking his adversaries into account when deciding on a name. I wonder if Batman conducted an opinion poll at Arkham before choosing his name. ;)
typical atheist who can't decide what to call himself. if you would live your life like a decent human you would know what to call yourself. a man of god. those of us who know god know that evolution been repeatedly disproven and atheism is just a convenient way to avoid having to live a moral life.
where is the proof? there is not one transitional fossil or other necessary evidence.
only one guy knows whats up, saying your name is Evil John Evo. true! please wake up and have a blessed day.
Typical asshat who lacks the intestinal fortitude to identify itself and goes with "anonymous". Ye of such moral integrity that ye hurl insults and bullshit under cover of anonymity. Is that the kind of morals you learned from your holy book? Does your god belief implore you to act so cowardly and blather ignorantly? If so, then thanks for this for you've shown what a despicable person one can be when they are a man of god. Your one post does more than pages of any of my writing. Nice work, asshat.
I voted for a looser, Happy Hominid.
I forgot exactly how I came up with the name for my blog Completely Baffled, but if memeory serves, I was sitting at my keyboard trying to come up with a name, DaVinci was used, and finally decided that seeing I was completely baffled, that might be a good name.
These days I'm thinking about changing it. I frequent a blog called A Babe In The Universe, so I thought maybe A Stud In The Universe might work, especially if it might give me a chance with her!!!
DaVinci -
It's not over till midnight! You might yet be on the side of a winner.
I think you should change your blog name. What I would do is come up with two or three possible names and let us vote on them. :)
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