Anonymous

I would like to write "briefly" on the idea behind the "EDJ character" that I am on this blog.

It has come to my attention that those of you that know me in "real life" may not be aware that I do not want my "real" self connected to this blog. So, please consider this appropriate notice.

Friends, lend me your ears. PLEASE do not use my real name in any spoken conversation, Facebook commentary, IM messages, BBM chats, Tweets, or any other form of communication, that would connect "me" with EDJ/Ego Du Jour.

I am truly not blogging for fame and fortune--believe me. If I wanted to become some sort of celebrity from this site, I would use my real name and put myself out there so that everyone would know who I was and they could then stop me on street corners and ask me random questions at Nigerian parties. (To be honest I rarely attend Nigerian parties but I assume that is how it would be).

Eventually I might come out of the "anonymous blogger" closet, but for now I am fine staying in, thank you very much. I do not want real life recognition and I am counting on those of you who do know who I am to please keep this to yourselves. I don't think it is too vain to believe that there are rare instances when this blog could be a topic of conversation in "the real world". I am simply saying that those of you who know who I am, should simply nod and smile. Do not say you know me, do not direct them to my "real" Facebook account. Please be careful with my privacy.

This isn't to chastise anyone, but I assume I never really made this clear to the people who know that I write this blog. So I am doing it now.

I also want to point out that my reason for keeping things separate is very simple. It is better for me to keep things this way. I applaud people who have completely "outed" themselves online with their blogs, Twitter handles, websites, etc, but doing so involves a risk that I am not ready to take for myself.

We live and work in an era where a person can Google you and make a decision about your entire existence based on what they find online before they even get to meet you. I do not want prospective employers or prospective grad school admissions counselors to have their initial impressions of me to be based solely on the internet before they even get to meet me. So, I keep things separate.

I have a very long way to go in my "life plan" and I do not plan to have a career "on the internet". If I did, then being outed would be completely fine.

Don't take this to mean that I am ashamed or embarrassed by anything I write here. There is nothing I have written on this blog that I would not say, and/or have not said in "real life". I may have done it more tactfully in "real life", but the point would have been the same. I have shared this blog with some people who could fall under the prospective employer/grad school category in connection with my "real name". But, I would like to manage my "exposure"--on my own terms.

I understand how the internet works, and once you put something out there it is out. There is no doubt I invited you all in by starting this blog, but my invitation comes with this small caveat. Keep my identity to yourself if you are aware of it. It is a simple caveat, and I hope you understand.

I don't know if you can tell yet, but I am very big on compartmentalizing my "two lives".

My next blog post will be less "dramatic". I promise.

Have a great weekend, and Happy Mother's Day to the moms out there!