I’m with Wil Wheaton on this. Let’s say I’m just a guy, y’know?
I’ll tell stories as they relate to the topics, but too much specific information would compromise my invisibility. Even when the stories are from my own life, it’s still unavoidably me writing about a character based on me. I can’t help that. No one sees themselves objectively.
If the intimacy of our relationship as readers and writer isn’t satisfying enough for you, the best way to get me to reveal myself (slightly) is by leaving an insightful comment. I read each one, and answer 99% of them. Since the comments require your email I can also answer highly personal questions off-blog if I choose to.
I have good reasons for anonymity, some of which I can’t tell you. You’ll have to trust me on it.
Mikey,
Anonymity is good sometimes, after all the WWW is a very big place with it’s fair share of people we want to protect ourselves and our loved ones from. I compare it in a funny way to nudism, you blog can be viewed as the “baring all your personal details in written form” some might be willing to “flash it all” on the internet but I think that being less revealing is a safer bet for most of us…and definitely for our kids.
You are “just a guy” .. well actually you are a thoughtful, insightful blogger… Write On!
I agree, and thanks.
It all sounds very cloak and dagger but I like that. Too much information can be distracting; like a guide dog in training I need to stay focused lol
It is a sort of spy costume, and intended humorously, and as metaphor. Instead of saying “This is me”, I’m saying “This is a character based on me.” We are who we are, and also who we pretend to be, for a raft of good reasons. I write semi-anonymously, but it would be relatively easy for any professional to track me down from details in my posts. I just don’t want it to be easy for amateurs. Plus, a hint of mystery is more entertaining. I’m glad you enjoy that too. Thanks for visiting.
(Mark writes from an interesting UK/Wales social justice blog that covers news stories about prisoners’ rights there and abroad: http://converseprisonnews.com/ )
You write, “it’s still unavoidably me writing about a character based on me. I can’t help that. No one sees themselves objectively.” Well that’s the truth! Very profound and thought provoking.
Theresa Jane
Thank you, my friend. We do the best we can, but to see ourselves is just too difficult.
Personally, I prefer the anonymity. It allows us both to exist in this space without any preconceived notions…there’s nothing worse then being a fore-gone conclusion. Even if it comes with a nice set of baby blues.
And besides, the fun is in the “getting to know you” puzzle. If I knew it all, right here, right now, what more would there be for me to discover?
Me too. I’m a big fan of the “slow reveal” – regarding magic acts, exotic dancing, or writing about myself.
Hey, you! I’d like to send you a private e-mail, but I don’t know how to do that from here, so I’m being rather cryptic. I met you and your wife once in Kansas City. I was married to someone you know at the time, and I’d like to keep in touch for benign friendly reasons. If you’d drop me a line at revanniecherry@yahoo.com I can elaborate… Cheers to you, Annie
P.S. Feel free to burn this letter after reading (aka, delete.)
Delighted, Annie. Contact details have been emailed to you.
(Annie knows a thing or two about the “slow reveal”, in life or in art).
i read a few of your posts and and scrolled the rest also found and added to my blog list tt’s personnal blog i’ll be reading it , i had to change my blog from black with yellow writing because she found it hard to read at times it took weeks, anyway you have a good blog with lots of content
but 
i feel that on the main page the posts are far to long and you have to scroll for ever to get to the bottom one i think you should put the ” read more ” button in them all , i’m going to add your site to my blogroll if you would do the same for me please , harry
Your suggestion about the read more button is excellent, Harry. I’m definitely going to do that. I’m still deciding what to do about the Blogroll.
I don’t personally think it’s attractive to readers to list more than 10-15 other blogs, especially when they include mini-reviews as my list does. I’m seriously considering making mine smaller because I never scroll down a list that looks like everything on someone’s iPod. I read over 100 blogs occasionally, and am subscribed to about 30, but I think it looks ridiculous to display a list that long. On the other hand, I am a fair critic and I enjoy waving a flag from time to time when I discover good work by others.
What I will do for you is put in a plug for your fine site in the body of my Gift Basket series when I get to the one about DIY sites, planned for sometime next week. You’ll get a pingback when it’s posted. Congratulations on passing 25k!
GO MIKEY…in general.
Thanks for the nod in your comment on Sandra Lee’s blog today. It gave me the chance to discover yours! I need to add you to my regular reads.
You’re most welcome, Bob. I wholeheartedly agree with the things you’ve shared about the learning process involved with retirement. My wife and I are entering that period right now, and we want our lives to be open and fulfilling now that they are less ordered around work schedules.
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Mikey–I didn’t see a way to email you, so I am leaving this response here and hoping you will see it. I am still chuckling over your props for my correct use of “apical.” I thought I would tell you the background of my affection for this word.
I was never a science ace, but I had to have a certain number of science credits in college. I took botany and astronomy, the two “easiest” courses available. The only thing that stayed with me from botany is “apical meristems.” This phrase is my favorite phrase and I try to use it, or a part of it, at every opportunity, although, as you can imagine, it is hard to work into the conversation very often. I just love the sound of it, and it is fun to say. It sounds “happy.”
Thank you for noticing. Maybe I can figure out how to write a whole post about apical meristems.
Feel free to delete this comment–it is not really relevant to your profile!
Well, it’s way more interesting than spam, and I leave some of those…
Apical (pertaining to the apex/tip of an item) is also used in biology, which is how I knew. When measuring pulse in adults we check the wrist (radial – proximate to the radius) or in emergencies, the neck (carotid). Infants are too squishy to check at the wrist. We put a stethoscope at the point of the chest corresponding to the tip of the heart. It’s called apical pulse. Also, when taking a chest x-ray we have to make sure the entire lung field is displayed, apical to costophrenic (top to bottom).
When logged in to WP, if someone leaves you a comment and you view it selecting Comments from within Dashboard or the Manage Comments command in the drop-downs under your My Blog menu, you will see that person’s email displayed.
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Bruce Willis?
LOL… Guess again. I’m older. He’s got more money.
I think your work is fabulous. I feel uneasy even writing this. My Father’s Imprisonment hit too close to home for me. I hope you have controlled Mr. Hyde. It shook me up so much, I couldn’t write it under the piece.
I guess that is what writing should do.
I feel a bit frightened, but will continue to read your non-transparent work.
Jaye
Yeah, Hyde’s pretty much on a good leash. I still yell, but mostly at the lying politicians on TV, or at bad drivers when I’m alone in my own car. It’s relatively harmless behavior. As far as the material hitting close to home, I am sorry you were hurt. I think many more children, partners and spouses endure various kinds of abuse than anyone is comfortable admitting. But these awful things must be dealt with honestly, or they control and shape us. I want my engine to be my ability to offer compassion, not the pain making me avoid things.
So sweet. Thank you
Jaye
So you are bearing your soul whilst managing to keep it to yourself? And it is possible to be personal without giving yourself away?
Looking forward to reading more, thank you.
You’re welcome, Patti. Those would be lovely, altruistic reasons
Partly I’m a bit obsessive about keeping my real and online lives separate, and partly I had a “past” in showbiz. I wanted to start fresh with an invented anonymous persona (based on me, but an improved version) free from old baggage. By the simple device of not using my full name, I have a mask that allows more confessional material. It’s also a joke (as in “How is not being seen, being seen more fully?”)
I agree that it’s best to remain annonymous, although I’m sure a determined person could find me somehow. One of the email scammers that I wound up recently from my little-used anonymous Hotmail account managed to track me back to the original work email address that he sent the first scam email to, which links to our website containing our address. I thought it’d be lost in the millions that he sent, but clearly not.
Great site, by the way and good luck with retaining the cloak of invisability!
Thanks, Stewie! It helps having a very common name, also the same name as a much more famous person. I can always go, “Nope – not him.”
I hate “Bugging” people but I’ve been coming to your blog alot recently since I discovered it and I have Featured a New Artist. I learned alot in doing so! If you delete this I’ll understand but I didn’t see a way to send you an email.
No, prob, Laurie. I did edit your comment, but only to show you how to do these things, since I know you are new. I don’t, and you don’t want to advertise your email on your blog, or you will receive an avalanche of spam at some point. Marketers and scammers do not respect boundaries these days. You must protect yourself from those who are addicted to trying to sell you things you don’t need. They will pretend to be your friends, which they aren’t, and it’s just a nasty, ugly vortex of unwise materialism to be avoided.
The way I work it in this space is, if you are nice enough to comment, you get a free plug for your blog – once. I call them “gift baskets”, and here’s yours! —
Laurie Thomas is a wife and Mom who loves all kinds of music. She writes a regular feature to help introduce you to lesser-known artists she enjoys listening to. If you like discovering new music, drop by at: http://lauriethomas.wordpress.com
I never really thought about the reason for the gauze and sunglasses disguise. I guess I thought it had something to do with nursing.Makes no sense I know, but in my mind….You really want to keep your identity hidden, huh? But, in posts, you have given enough info away that someone could probably figure it out, if they tried really hard. Must not be that big a deal anymore.
Anyway, this is the only way I could figure out to send you a message. Please give me you sister’s electronic contact info. If she is open to it, I would love to send her the chapter about my actually attempting suicide just to get some feedback if she is amenable to it. dbird1@triad.rr.com Thanks! Happy Friday to ya!
And happy Friday to you too! Your email referral to my ex-wife (the Suicidologist) is on the way…
Your site and writing is fascinating. I’ll have to read here more often. I can learn a lot from you. Thanks!
Well, I’m happy to have you here, Jaco, but your ability to choose evocative imagery already exceeds mine. I will enjoy your story more when the parts are linked together. I’m kind of sorry I read some of the “flash fiction” parts. I like surprises!
(Here’s a different kind of plug. Jaco is letting readers see bits of his story BEFORE he’s finished with it. So, if you enjoy analysis of the writing process, you’ll like his work.
Unfortunately, he just moved to another hosting service, and left a link that doesn’t work yet. You can click on his name to go as far as I got.)
Mikey
What I’m doing is to take nonlinear scenes in the same fashion film directors Alejandro González Iñárritu and Wong Kar Wai piece together their films, and bring them together as you said. i’m not a trained writer, in fact I don’t know if I can even call myself a writer. I’d like to be a writer. I know my offerings are very humble right now and lack much. Sorry for the old link in my profile name. I didn’t know/think if it would be appropriate to link to my current domain.
Jaco
Despite my using my real name and posting some stuff about myself on my blog, there is a lot that I will never reveal about myself online.
Really, you have to do things that make you feel secure and which also – particularly when you’re a blogger – make you feel comfortable enough to write.
Mikey is my real name. If I did use my last name it would only confuse things, since I have the same last name as a much more famous person. Then I would have to answer every other comment with, “No, I’m not him.”
I and also my pals have been reading the great solutions found on your web site and at once came up with an awful suspicion I never thanked the site owner for those techniques. The boys are already for this reason very interested to read them and already have in actuality been having fun with them. Thank you for indeed being simply kind as well as for making a decision on this form of amazing subjects most people are really eager to know about. Our honest apologies for not saying thanks to sooner.
Solutions? I’m not certain that is the word you meant to choose, but I guess I do offer some general recommendations. Anyway, you’re welcome, boys.
(This is from a sports-oriented blog in the Czech Republic. Not my usual readers, which made the comment interesting.)
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hey Mikey. im in the middle of a 12 day work week… wth right? Anyway, fighting fatigue, a suddenly inconsistent internet connection and some writers block thrown in for garnish. Anyway could I bug you to look at a draft for me when you have time, and how do you do that on here anyway?
Love your posts on theor guide puppy BTW lol. If you have any questions or training problems, Ive done more than my share of prepping service dogs.
I would be happy to look over your draft. I always have spare opinions lying around. I’ll give you one – FREE! I’m sending you an email, and you can attach it to your reply as a Word file, PDF or text (.txt).
We’re getting puppy #2 this coming Sunday! I appreciate your offer, but we have a terrific panel of experienced mentor-trainers backing us up right here. We must use their methods.
Great to hear you’re not winging it with the pup!
Thanks for the help in advance. Just think you seem like a good sounding board and I think this one post going to be more important than I thought when concieved
Hi,
Congratulations, you’ve been chosen to take part in My 7 Links! (http://blog.tripbase.com/blog/my-7-links-the-rules)
The aim is to unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again.
Here’s how it works:
1) Publish your 7 links on your blog
Share your archived blog posts and lessons learned with the wider blogging community.
Here are My 7 Links (http://blog.tripbase.com/blog/2-years-blogging-my-7-links).
2) Nominate up to 5 more bloggers
Your choice of talented bloggers from any sector who you think will be excited to take part. Check they haven’t already been nominated first: http://blog.tripbase.com/blog/my-7-links-bloggers-nominated-so-far).
3) Forward this email on to your chosen bloggers
Let them know that they’ve been nominated and pass on the My 7 Links baton!
4) Share your post
Post your My 7 Links URL as a comment on the My 7 Links home page. (http://blog.tripbase.com/blog/my-7-links-the-rules/)
Then….look out for the best posts being shared everyday on Facebook and Twitter at #My7Links (http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23my7links).
If you’ve already posted your 7 links then please ignore this email and thanks so much for taking part!
Katie.
Ps. Confused? Feel free to drop me a line and I’ll clear up any gray areas.
Katie Sorene
Tel: (510) 768 7016
Fax: (650) 472 9112
http://www.tripbase.com
Twitter @Tripbase
Hi, Katie!
I was nominated last year, and posted my links on 10/11/11 here:
http://invisiblemikey.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/awards-schmords-pt-2/
I enjoyed the experience, and thanks for passing it on again!
I didn’t realize until I saw the above, you’ve been nominated for something.
I annoint you Versatile Blogger Award. You share the podium with others here: http://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/my-award-picks/
(Yea, it’s alot of work to follow the instructions!)
LOL – and here’s the link to Part 1, where I got the award you are referring to. Thanks, Jean:
http://invisiblemikey.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/awards-schmords-pt-1/
Wow what an interesting space/blog/place! love the pictures. Your a very interesting person and I’m definitely gonna follow you. As for never revealing to much about yourself….I always thought that unless you walk a mile with them….You never really know them.
Happy hugs your way.x.
Considering the originals are all taken using my phone, I’m happy with the photos too. Thanks for stopping by, Glad you enjoyed it.
(Nem writes a personal blog featuring her poetry. It’s sensitive and emotional. Quite touching: http://362101nlt.wordpress.com/ )