Killing Off Atticus Finch

Relax.  You can’t kill off a fictional figure.  And it’s only a pseudonym on top of that.  On this blog it is a name removed from reality – times two.

I never did have any strong feelings about online anonymity for bloggers, or “blawgers” as the case may be.  That is quite in contrast to the opinions of others in the field, though.  Apparently, not long before I began this little project there was a lot of back an forth amid the blawging community about morality of anonymous blawgers, anonymous posters, even anonymous commenters, and many took very strong positions.  The strong positions were mostly disdainful of anonymity; few seemed to strongly favor the idea, but then maybe the idea just isn’t the kind that anyone strongly favors.  “Favoring” the practice is more like taking a “to each his own” approach.

Anyway, I had my reasons.  For me it was a matter of prudence, one of the four cardinal virtues that I endeavor to practice.

Had my reasons.  Past tense.  Those reasons have faded, but more importantly have now been superseded by reasons to identify myself.  So I’m going to do that in a few days.  A few days from now is also a prudent delay.

I like to be prudent.

One of the problems of introducing myself in this forum is that it takes a lot of work to properly tell you.  When I say “properly”, what I mean is, that where I currently am and what I am currently doing – the basics of “Hi, I’m so-and-so.” – require a lot more than the usual amount of explanation; a fair explanation in my estimation takes some time.  It’s not that I mind putting in the time and effort – I’m always ready to explain.  It just somehow seems presumptuous to unload a complicated personal story right off the bat.  I think it’s an interesting story, maybe even well beyond simply interesting, but that doesn’t mean a reader is going to think so.

So, it seemed better to wait a bit before explaining anything about me.  That way, if you’re not interested there’s still a lot of other stuff that you have found interesting, otherwise you wouldn’t be here reading this in the first place.  And, maybe the fact that you have found other things I have said interesting enough to come read my blog means that you are more likely to be interested, or it has even primed you to be interested, at least more than you would be if I started right off with the “here’s me” thing.

I suspect that some out there may already know, or suspect they know, who I am.  One other thing I have thought is that it would be very difficult to maintain any sort of anonymity long term anyway.

So the time has come, then.  Almost.  A couple of days.