Sonomas

U know it's funny, I'm such a completely computer illiterate moron that the whole first semester I thought my blogs were anonymous and didn't even realize that my real name was still showing up at the end of them, because I thought I had changed it but never had! What a dumbass right! Anyway, believe me, when I first realized that, I felt pretty stupid, and I was missing the annonymity that I thought I had. But now that I've grown used to the idea, I like it better this way after all. A few other people had purposefully decided not to remain anonymous, and a few people's psuedonyms and personal idiosyncrasies were so thinnly veiled that it was easy to tell who they were right away, even in the early weeks, and I always enjoyed reading those author's blogs more, because I felt like their work was more tangible to me when I could picture a real person writing them. Now I still haven't figured out evrybody exactly on the blogs, just because I haven't purposefully taken the time to try (though I guess you could do it by figuring out who did what Honors Exam study guide now, if you really wanted to). But I do really know more or less a great deal of the people behind the psuedonyms by now, just because I think I can tell. But I like the blogs more for that now. Screw anonymity! We're all people, and I don't care how crazy any one of you bastards are! (Lol, I'm probably crazier than you all anyway!) Nah, but seriously, it's all good. Everybody's friends by now, and we can share our crazy dreams with each other on the blog space and not care. I think that aspect makes our class that much more cool and enjoyable, and that's probably a big part of why we're all so comfortable and can laugh with each other about stuff in class too. Don't over censor yourself just 'cause you think what you say will be embarrassing or something. If people don't share potentially embarrassing things, they can never really be relaxed and be themselves around other people, and being relaxed with each other is I think a way cooler way to be than to be sitting in a room full of strangers, y'know? But anyway, I mean, if you don't wanna share you're deepest darkest fears and wishes, that's cool too. Some things are personal and all. But I would say, don't change anything you've been doing just because you think things are different now. Look at it in a positive way. We're all really getting to know each other. And that's really special. (Sniff!, I think I'm getting sentimental. We all need ta have a big group hug next class now or sumthin'!)

I feel that I have been trying not to reveal exactly who I am in my dreams for so long, by not putting in a dead give-away name or place, that it feels weird to stop doing that now. I know that the anonymity is gone but I am still writing as if it was there, for some reason. I did enjoy "guessing" who was who, but probably would have been obsessing at the end if some blogs were still anonymous and I was still trying to figure out who they belonged to :) I tend to agree with Mr. Mxylplyx that now it does help to put the face to the words. Also agree with you Sonomas that it was good in the beginning to have the "mask on". I think it gave us the initial freedom to be open and hopefully we can continue to be, as we have become more comfortable with everyone.

I think this is an interesting blog entry.

I agree with you that anonymity was a source of freedom in the beginning; I think I definitely needed it while I tried to figure out my "comfort zone" - not only in terms of what I did or did not want to share, but also in terms of how I shared my thoughts (i.e. should I be blunt? diplomatic? P.C.?)

For the people that never bothered to hide their identities (sorry, Mr. Mxylplyx, that it happened to you accidentally; I hope this was a more deliberate decision for the others :)), I agree with Mr. Mxylplyx that having a face makes the work more tangible and personal. Also, for these people, I don't think I ever felt any ridicule towards anything they shared - I actually respected them more for being (as I see it) so un-self-conscious and comfortable with their thoughts and ideas.