To Be or Not To Be (Reinvented)

[anne22]

I haven't been around the boards much in the last 5 years. My join date was sometime in 2003 and for a while I contributed quite a bit to the areas that caught my interest. I've missed Lit since I've been gone, but family life has always been more important and has consumed my time.

Over the years, people change. My interests aren't really the same, my responses would be very different than before, and I think the nature of any relationships that I'd be part of now would also change from what they were before.

So now that I have the opportunity to re-enter the world of Lit, I'm faced with a couple of questions....

Should I start over with a new screenname and AV, giving up all of my posting history? And on the bright side, also doing away with a large part of myself that no longer exists?

And should I reconnect with those that I had relationships with before, who have continued being active at Lit while I've been gone? What if they don't recognize me, or don't like who I've grown to be? That could be a bit painful, I suppose...

Lots to think about....but as I started browsing through the archives of who I used to be (made immortal by the ever-annoying "find all posts by this user" search feature) I realized that a lot of what was said by me years ago, while maybe not entirely still true for the new me today, is part of what made me who I am today. The adorable encounters with the people I met make me smile to remember them, and it almost seems like a dishonor to them to systematically delete every past reply I made in order to reinvent myself 100%. So I guess I've decided to not take that route.

Well anyhow, it really got me wondering.... What have others done, when they find a change in themselves over the years? Have any of you started over with a new name and identity, in order to leave the old behind? Or do you find that keeping ahold of the old familiar works just as well through change?

 

[Stella_Omega]

Welcome back!

I guess it depends on how specific your handle is, or was, huh?
I have a handle from my early internet days, when I was concerned with my children and my cats-- it includes the word "mother."

Thing is, I am no one's "mother" on the internet. And my personal identity has nothing to do with "mother." So I became Stella.


On a side note, this first post you've made on your return is #666. I think that deserves a screencap...

 

[anne22]

Welcome back!

On a side note, this first post you've made on your return is #666. I think that deserves a screencap...

Creeepy.... Thanks for your reply Stella. I guess I'll just do whatever ends up feeling the most comfy.

 

[Maxell46]

I tend to drift in and out of Lit these past few years with long periods of not being here. I go back to 2003 and recently read through some of my original posts.
I cringed at a few
but it is what it is and I'm who I am because of every step along the journey.

I've always had just this screen name and never felt a need to be under another. I've always been very comfortable with being myself and there is no need to be someone else because I can hide behind a keyboard.

Am I different today than I was 9 years ago?
A bit.
The core person is still the same...I'm still me.
I no longer tolerate some of the things I once would and I know more of what I like and need.

Keep your name and be proud of whatever has already happened.
Where you've been and what you've done is the reason you wound up where you are today.
If you look back on it and can accept it all keep the name.
It's like a book with many chapters. Turn the page and move forward but it's perfectly fine to look back and see where you've been.

 

[wicked woman]

My guess is that most people that come back with a new name do so because they forgot their password and can't get into their old account. At least that's the impression I get from their posts.


Honestly, do what you want. Our opinion really shouldn't matter.

 

[Dom4uinLvNv]

Removed with respect.

 

[anne22]

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