You might not have even known that I was away, but it is time to say that I’m back.
Paul Theroux said, ‘The more I enjoy something, the less I try to see it as work’.
If you didn't hear him then it is obvious you haven't been paying attention.
I have started reading again, but not yet writing. Blogging isn't writing, well, not for me anyway...apart from the occasional piece. I have to view them as separate, otherwise I fail to write, but still blog my backside into the next room at every sitting.
There's a lot I want to say at the moment, and a lot I want to explain, what with this being my Autoblography and everything. Stuff that should go down onscreen for this to stay that way. But this has changed from being something which is, to borrow a phrase, flat like a photograph. This is life, and this is direct communication with you rather than the setting down of words for anonymous passersby to idly flick through. I started out wanting this to be an autobiographical thing, almost like a no-holds barred portrait and account of my life as it went along.
But now I’m barring at least a few holds, and as both photographer and subject, there are things I cannot show you, even though I feel like I’m going back to the beginning and fiddling with what I set out to do.
The more I’m enjoying something, the less I want them to see it at work.
I don't want to stop blogging, so I’m going anonymous, kids. Another few days and all references to my name will disappear from this site. The old (blog*spot) blog will die, and this site will be all there is.
Hell, this site rates pretty highly in searches for just ‘Stuart’, let alone my full name. That thing at the top? It’s just a picture. It’s not at home to Mr. Google, but that will be leaving soon as well...just altered, that's all.
But, because of that anonymity (something I’m scrabbling for in what feels to be a rather shameful way) things will be more secure. It won’t start interfering with me looking for a job, for starters. Old friends won’t find me, either. It’s a mixed bag.
If you'd do me a great favour, if you link to me as Stuart dada's Autoblography...then my name is contained in the link, so could you delete my name, or even just my surname? It would help. Thank you.
So this isn’t an hiatus announcement or a backout. It is an announcement of a return, an awakening, and a battening down of a few loose hatches.
This is stuff I should have done from the very beginning really, but hey. I wanted FAME.
My name in lights...or pixels, or anything really.
We all want to be big stars, but we don’t know how, and we don’t know why.
I’m purely working on this life thing at the moment, let alone anything else, but it’s a lot more complicated than the product brochures made out.
It’s like flat-pack furniture in that respect. It arrives in 2D, the instructions are in 2D, but the thing itself grows an extra dimension as you go along.
Hum. I'm disappointed, this has been one of my favourite reads. Plus the coffee is good. See, now we're all going to go looking for you.
I'm not bloody going anywhere!
Oh testicles. I'm going to have to edit the bloody post...
"The old blog will die, and this will be all there is," was rather ambiguous. And now I'm disappointed, because there will be no stalking. Oh well, back to marrying Kim Deal then.
Or:
Look! A Stuart impersonator! I wonder how he's getting on, wherever he is?
I couldn't make my mind up.
Hmmm.
I'm resisting another edit.
Oh bollocks.
Liked the extra dimension idea. I know what that one is about.
I feel your pain! For me, I lost the ability to write openly (possibly too openly, as some will testify), after I started meeting bloggers. And now, of course, it seems like everyone knows everything about us, but in fact they don't. Not at all.
I hear you, bro; I removed all references to my real surname on my blog after a few months, for similar reasons.
I'll get my template changed toute suite.
Thanks Mike.
ah anonymnity ... a lost dream ...
It scares me how early you must get up in the morning, Kate...or how late you stay up, admittedly.
Done. Ohh and remember to change your 'name' when you leave a comment on other sites.
Now, should I delete your address from my Contacts? Or aren't you going THAT anonymous.
Not that anonymous!
I generally only sign comments as Stuart anyway...don't I?
Gordon: I'm not ditching 'Stuart'! I'm quite attached to it!
I know exactly where you're coming from. But so many people now know who I am that going anon on my present site would be nigh on impossible.
I toyed with the idea of starting a secondary blog where I can rant away about stuff I cant write on the current one but in the end I just couldn't be arsed. I just tend to offload on people who don't know the people I want to rant about.
BTW, you cant ever be completely anonymous... Whois it then? :-)
Lolly: Well fuck my hat!
I'm taking that bit of your comment down, in the vein of today's rampant paranoia and, obviously, just in case there were any opportune stalkers who have taken note of my address.
...and how do you opt out, like, er, Gordon has?
(Not that I tried a few URLs in there, or anything)
I know you can tick the box when you register the domain for the first time, but beyond that I don't really know. Ask your registrar (supanames) or failing that ask nominet.
And then tell me :-)
oh this isn't normal. no. normal people don't do this. even i don't, on normal days.
That might have been a little too insistent, Kate darling.
I understand (I think) it will give you more freedom in what you say. I wish that I had started out more anonymous although I have no mention of my surname or anything like that on my blog lots of my 'real-life' friends know about it and this can be very constraining!
Trouble with the law again Stuart?
you might say that, stuart, i couldn't possibly comment.
HAR.
seriously though, one blogger's insistence is another blogger's incredible caffeinatedness due to work that lasts through the night.
(For the duration of this joke, we shall pretend your surname is Black, in order to maintain your anonymity)
OK, ready? Here goes...
Well Stuart, I guess I'd better refer to you as Stuart B from now on. No that's too obvious ... errr, let's say S Black.
*pauses for laughter*
Huh?
It always saddens me to see stuff like this, but I totally understand why you've done it - I'm approaching being the poster child for picking up and running away when the great and mighty google does its work and links my real name with my blog.
It's too exhausting - it'd be so nice if it wasn't such an issue, but unfortunately, life isn't like that.
*sigh*
Exactly, Pix, exactly.
Er, Alan...was that a sodding Harry Potter joke?
On MY blog?
It was a Simpsons gag. Principal Skinner ... L Simpson ... Lisa S. Ah, forget it.
I'm really sorry I don't get that...
Nowt wrong with anonymity and will probably help your blog in many ways. All people at work plus some other people know who I am in real life. By the next UK bloggers party probably even more people will know. I wanted anonymity before my blog cos I thought the tube would sue me, and it made sense to keep it going when I started my blog just over a year ago.
I have seen lots of people moving their blog round or stopping it altogether, as I assume some people are hacked off when their friends and colleagues say "you can't say that about me".
So I very rarely say anything about anyone that I wouldn't say to their face, but that's cos my blog is not a personal diary, although is true.
I'm looking forward to see how you go with the new direction and best of luck.
Doesn't mean you have to give up serving coffee though does it???
Don't be sorry Stuart, I frequently paraphrase Simpsons dialogue to the bemusement of others.
Anyway... anonymity. I'd like to think my employers wouldn't be too freaked out if they stumbled across my web-persona, but I suspect I'm being very naive.
Coffee will be served as per normal! It won't be so much of a new direction as the one I intended in the beginning, only without my name at the top. That's all...