Wednesday, March 29, 2006

The Devil: Nameless And Faceless (To Most That Is)

I've often pondered whether or not I should ever show my face. At first, I didn't do it because I didn't have a decent picture of myself and no digital camera. That plus the fact that where I worked is basically a haven of computer geeks with nothing better to do than to look up info on employees all day long and what they're saying about the company (I think we had some sort of company loyalty clause in our employment paperwork). And if you had your profile on Match.com, then you were really screwed!

I know alot of people show their faces in their avatar or somewhere in their blog. A few people have seen my mug and the reviews have not been good. I think if I showed my face, the villagers would burn down my blog.

I've thought that if I do it, it would have to be with some sort of momentous event like I ran a marathon or I score a six-figure job or I finally get to hit Ireland & the UK or Andrea Corr / Salma Hayek / Paz Vega / Penelope Cruz / Kirsten Dunst / Monica Belluci / Barbara Mori / etc. will publicly acknowledge my undying, loyal love.

But being anonymous gives you a bit of freedom. A few of my old friends know about my blog and so they know who I am and what I'm about. Not that I'm trying to fool anyone, but sometimes people build up an image of what you are and when they finally see or meet you, it's shattered. With anonymity, I can continue to call 'em like I see 'em with no problems. Sometimes though, I think it would be great to post pics of me in my various travels of journeys from around the world or just over to Wal-Mart for a good ole fashioned mullett hunt.

Has anyone else had this same dilema or have you had any problems with revealing your persona? Give me some insights and maybe you'll each get to experience the horror that is the Devil!!!

25 comments:

jennifer said...

i suppose the more that you get to know your blogger friends, it seems natural to share what you look like, right?

we share so much with each other that none of us is really anonymous anyway.

Msabcmom said...

I don't put many pictures up of myself simply because I hate the way I look in pictures.

I say post your pics if you like. It would be fun to see your face.

I think that it is really interesting to "meet" people in the blogosphere by getting to know them through their written words before you actually meet them or see them in person. Maybe this way we judge people more on who they are than what they look like.

sonrisa morena said...

i know exactly what you mean!!!santis and i have asked the same question. my answer to him was that i know waaaaay too many people and well this world is so freakin' small that you never know who will end up reading your blog. i have worked in many different communities...all of which i have realy enjoyed..and i have also dated guys that are very well known and well i don't want any of it coming back to me...i became close friends with most of them. i have to admit though that when i first met some of the bloggers back in december i was a little nervous because they knew so much about me already but overall i'm glad i got to meet them because now we all are friends...people i would have never gotten to meet had we not decided to show our faces to one another. AND i'm sure you won't shatter any image any of us has of you ;-)

Joel said...

Personally I like to open a blog and see a flicker badge thing where you can see what the person looks like... It's just nice to be able to have a mental image- so that's why I decided to put up a flicker badge with my picture... at first I put up a picture of my face like msabcmom has, but then I switched to a more annonymus Nationals hat... I don't mind people going to see my face on flicker, but I don't necessarily want it out there on every comment I make.

Scarlet Hip said...

If you expect to be my husband someday, you are going to have to show me your face eventually. I'm just sayin...

Andi said...

I agonized over what to show for a longgg time, and then Os noodled me into doin HNT and the face and select body parts were looosed! I'm OK with showing my face now, but I definitely stay mum about work because I'd be royally fucked. The academians don't take kindly to having their shit splashed around.

Now, show us your goods.

Chelle said...

Tough, Been grappling with this myself. I think there is also freedom in being you. The answer is what allows you to be you most- anonymous or pictured?

Lindsay said...

Come on Cincy post some pics!

But, I get what you are saying about the whole anonymity aspect...I am kind of wishing now that my own blog was a bit more anonymous...because with my name all over it, you really have to watch what you are saying...there are people with google and waaaaay too much time on their hands...but still, it'd be nice to see at least one pic of ya!

yournamehere said...

I sent my picture to a few people, but I don't post it on my blog. If I was a handsome chap, perhaps I would.

finally forgiving said...

I have my picture out there...of course it's deep in the blog entries from back when I used to do HNT. (Ok, it may not be that far back.) But I'm so comfortable with me that I don't care who sees...

I'm blatantly unapologetic for what I put on my blog...if you don't like what you see -- click next blog.

Or perhaps I'm just having an evil moment...lol....still I'd like to know what you look like. To put a face to the man who writes such amazing things.

Regina Rodriguez-Martin said...

The photo was never a question for me. I like having my name and face on my blog, so I never put anything on there that I'd be uncomfortable having my family/the whole world know. Fortunately I'm enough of an exhibitionist that there's VERY LITTLE I wouldn't want the whole world to know. My blog has my photo, name, city, where I work, where I'm performing and stuff about being on anti-depressants, how I feel about my job, my self-loathing, etc.

I figure, "Whatever."

JHD said...

Dude! Stop with the putting down of yourself. I won't tolerate it. I've said before that you were good looking. I haven't changed my mind (despite the fact you never return emails) either. As for decent pictures, I can't help you with recent, but I know you have the ones from S's wedding. You cleaned up very nicely, if I recall.

I happen to like my pictoral anonymity. I agree with Jennifer that we're not totally anonymous because someone is bound to connect the dots of things you say and eventually connect you to a real person. But nothing wrong with no pictures of you on your blog. Instead pick a mascot, a stuffed ASU devil for example in your case. Take it with you and take pictures of it on your travels and adventures and post those. You'll still get to show off things you've seen and done, but you won't be anywhere to be found. Especially since you're so uncomfortable with the idea of posting a picture of you online.

Cincysundevil said...

Jen-
So true; we all tend to open up a bit on our blogs

Cincysundevil said...

MsAbcMom-
I agree with the fact it's fun to meet someone first without really seeing them. It tends to let you know the person as a person first

Cincysundevil said...

Sonrisa-
It is the dilema. I am just afraid someone I don't want to read the blog will read it ... but I don't know whom I want to not read it!

Cincysundevil said...

Dcnats-
I think I might do what you do with the Flickr thing. I always kinda liked that. First, I gotta buy a good digital camera.

Cincysundevil said...

Brooke-
If I do that, you might decide that I'm not worth marrying!

Cincysundevil said...

Andi-
I love your HNT's. I thought about doing the same .... 'cept no one would want to see any part of my body naked!

Cincysundevil said...

Mariemm-
Good point. Honestly, I think either way I will just do the same sorts of posts

Cincysundevil said...

Lindsay-
For you, anything ;)

Cincysundevil said...

YNH-
I have to rely solely on my charm. My looks and a dollar will get me a cup of coffee at 7/11.

Cincysundevil said...

Unforgiving-
Now I'm going to have to go through all of your archives again, because I swore I've already looked through them.

Cincysundevil said...

Regina-
I remember you posted your modeling pics. You looked great!

Cincysundevil said...

JHD-
You need glasses .... badly!! Are you sure you weren't confusing me with someone else at work?

JHD said...

Already wear contacts, thankyouverymuch (just got my eyes checked this weekend and they're getting BETTER) and nope not confusing you with anyone.

Suck it up, Devil, you are not ugly. Stop trying to convince people you are.