So where do I go from here?
“Our task is to say a holy yes to the real things of our life.”- Natalie Goldberg
Thank you so much to everyone who reached out after my first post. When you put something into the universe, there is always a lot of anxiety. I had all of the gremlins. You might have met them before. There was, “Who am I to write this stuff?” and “What if people don’t like it?” and the ever popular, “No one is going to read it.” But in the 24 hours since I put up the first post, I have already heard wonderful things, so thank you!
But where do I go from here? I’ve thrown down my own gauntlet, haven’t I? I can’t poke around waiting to start anymore. So I’ll start at the beginning: Who am I? The first thing on my list is: My name is Meghan. Wait! Wait! Most of the people who know me online know me as megg or Meg, and here I am springing Meghan on you. (I won’t even get started on the last name. I am currently going by two!) So maybe the question isn’t as easy as it seems.
It’s time to come clean: Megg was an accident. When I signed up to blogger, I had no idea that the username I created would also be the name that I would have ever after. At first I felt silly, but it turned out to be a wonderful accident. There were a few other megs online, and the second g made me a bit different. I began to like it, and then embrace it, and now it would feel strange not to be megg online.
But that’s not my name in ‘real’ life. So if I am going for truth here, does that make sense to be one person here and another off line? I’ll have to have a think about this one. Is it possible to go by more than one name and still be authentic in your life? Does my name matter?
I am interested in what you think. If you have a blog, have you used your real name? Have you created an alias? How did you come up with your screen name? When you meet bloggers in real life, how do you address each other? If you don’t blog, do you have different names for different parts of your life? What’s in a name? Does your name matter?
with love,
NOTE: I have been lucky enough to be featured on Jamie Ridler’s podcast this week. We discuss creative living and I talk a bit about what Creating Wings means to me. I hope that you will go over and have a listen. If you haven’t met Jamie before, have a look at her site. She is an inspiration! AND the photograph of me in this post was taken by Darlene Kreutzer.
Tags: beginnings, name
Designed by Random
First – the space is delicious and I am head over heels already. I just wrote out quotes and poems from your inspiration page into my wee book of collected words – and there is so much genius and beauty there that my hand is now cramped!
As for the question of this post – it has been tumbling around in my head lately. I have the blog linked to in this comment, and then i have another writing space, begun anonymously to capture a journey through a space of vulnerability and heartache. One the one hand, it is nice to have a space where I can be safe to say anything, but at the same time I have had a longing lately to bring the two together, to be more transparent – to go naked, like in the May Sarton quote you included on the other page. I’m not sure what the right answer is just yet – but I do think that splitting myself in two like this does have some impact on authenticity in my writing…
More pondering to come.
Blessings
j.
I think it depends on what your blog space represents and provides for you. Is it a place where someone wants to write anonymously or a transparent declaration of who someone is?
There are different facets in each of our personalities so maybe each facet is given a different name by some?
Ooh, I’m all excited because I’ve found another wonderful blog to follow. Reading your words is like peeking into my own mind – another soul on the same track as me.
I use WrightStuff online but pepper my posts with references to my real name – Lisa. I like WrightStuff – there are so many other Lisas out there! I also have another online name I use for gaming – Bobs, short for Bobricka my Elf Loremaster (probably best to leave it there!). I’ve grown rather fond of that nickname too and most gaming buddies only know me as Bobs.
YIP YIP YIPPPPEEEEEEE!! Love it
Love it 
Keep it a comin!! xoxooxooo
Hi Megg, I’ve been reading your other blog on and off for a while now and love your inspirational posts. I just read your ‘list’ and your ‘about’ page and your words sound all too familiar especially the ’something must be wrong with me’ part
With regard to screen names: I have used my own for a while until a somewhat unpleasant person started to mingle with and intruded my personal space/life. Ever since I have been more cautious and have been using a different name (ZG).
Good luck with this new adventure!
(I’ll be reading)
I go by 3 sometimes 4 names most of them are variations of my real name. THe other is my girl guide name that has stuck with me for 7 years now. I enjoy all of them.