On Anonymity

This is one of those oddly masturbatory blogs-about-blogging. Feel free to skip it if you find such things annoying. :)

My blog is semi-anonymous.

I don't use my real name - or the names of my husband or children. In fact, the only real names I use are those of other online people who are already "out" about their offline identities.

I don't usually post identifying photos. (I do occasionally post pictures of my kids, but I will likely do that less as they get older and start school.)

I never mention my workplace, specifically, or even my hometown. And I try not to give away too many identifying tidbits.

But ... my blog is also non-anonymous in that it is read by several people who already know me "in real life" - including several good friends and even my parents! (My husband has the address, too, but he doesn't usually read it.)

But there are other people in my offline life I'd prefer never find my blog. Or at least never find out my blog is ME.

So, I try to ensure that if someone were to go a-Googling for "My Real Name" or other personally identifying details - this blog would NOT show up in those searches.

It's not that I have anything to hide, really. I'm comfortable "owning" everything I write. It's more a matter of desiring a bit of control over my privacy. And, of course, there are the normal concerns about the random freaks and weirdos out there.

But, the main reason for my semi-anonymity - or maybe it's pseudonymity - is professional.

Everyone's heard stories of people who've lost their jobs - or job opportunities - because of something they posted on their blog or Facebook or MySpace.

For me, those concerns are amplified.

I work in public relations. I am the public spokesperson for my workplace. Like it or not, I am always "on duty" in public - always representing more than just myself. In this small community, that means everywhere: At the park, in the grocery store, at preschool, at restaurants - even just driving down the road.

It's not entirely fair. But it is what it is.

In a way, this blog is one of the few places I can relax.

Even though most of what I post here is pretty innocuous in terms of my professional life, my semi-anonymity gives me the freedom to let my hair down a bit and not worry too much about who might be judging what and how it could reflect on my work.

So, while I'm comfortable having some friends and family read my blog, if I had to put my name on it for just anyone to see ... well, I probably wouldn't blog at all.

As it is, I probably still self-censor just a bit. But, that's just me - I'm a private sort of person in some ways.

I'd like to think I'm basically the same person online that I am offline. Though - if we're honest with ourselves - I think we'd all have to admit that we share different parts of our personalities in different situations. Are you the same person at home with your kids as you are at work? Or at dinner with the in-laws? On a first date? Out for a drink with your pals? At your class reunion?

Even if it was possible to ensure complete and total anonymity (and don't kid yourselves, dahlinks, such things are not possible in this day and age), I'd like to think my blog would not be all that different from what it is right now in it's semi-anonymous state.

I do sometimes ask myself: If I had complete anonymity ... would I write about things I have not? Would I say some things differently? Would I feel more "free" to share different sides of myself? To be honest: At least once, the answer has been yes.

But, for the most part, I think I am still "putting out there" an honest representation of who I am and what I think.

What about you?

Is your blog anonymous? Do people who read it know you IRL? Why or why not? What do you think are the pros and cons of each? Do you have concerns about personal or professional repercussions? Are you concerned about what and how much you share?

I'd really like to know. :)