> > I agree completely. Nick changes always annoy me.
> >
> > what I'm trying to say is, don't do it!

Well yes, handle changes are always inconvenient to other users. It's soooo much easier to maintain the continuity of tradition (Just think what the boating community would do to Brunnen-G if she tried to change the well-known but wordy name of her keel yacht, "Spirit of Breaker Bay"). So if you, Monkeyman, did go ahead with changing your alias, for sure you'll be ticking off people like Faux Pas and Ticia... :-)

On the other hand -- I say the heck with tradition, if you simply do NOT feel ease with the image that you're presenting to us. Words have meaning and names have power, whether we acknowledge it or not. I don't see why you should be stuck with a handle with which you might always have lingering personal doubts, just because you picked the "wrong one" in the beginning. This isn't a bureaucracy where you'd have to cut the red tape lengthwise in order to force a name change.

If the reason you want to change your nickname is to "remove the mask" and present a more unfeigned and authentic representation of self, well, I can appreciate that as a purpose. I chose "Wolfspirit" for various reasons (because of my interests, and because of the happy coincidence of various wolf events in my life), but that name also has the drawback of being a bit too long for my tastes. And since in real life my name is "Fox" and not "wolf," there is the appearance of some subterfuge. So like you, I'm not 100% happy with my handle. If I were being forced to keep it for the rest of my online community life, I'd probably be annoyed. People have various and often perfectly legitimate reasons for wanting to change names.

Of course, the superficial appearance of "wearing a mask" is not so important as how you actually use your nickname. Even if you called yourself (for example) "Hellfire_DeathMonkey," but your interactions with folks continued to be as courteous and congenial as the Monkeyman we all know and love, then it really doesn't matter what you call yourself -- we'd all be aware that behind the ruff 'n gruff name of "Hellfire_DeathMonkey" beats the heart of a saint.(*) Heh. Just don't try to explain to your real-life friends and family why you'd call yourself that. :-)

The bottom line? Use a name that you think you'd be happy with in all spheres of your activity. If "Monkeyman" is a name you're comfortable with using, both online and in real life, then by all means keep it. That name has the advantage of being familiar to us, and if you answer to it when your friends call... why then, all the better. (-: This argument goes into the toilet if you ever decide you really don't like the name anymore.) Personally, if you're going for the "authentic" look (or at least, as authentic as you can get when socializing... since we all wear masks even in RL), then I would suggest "Jackson" as your new nickname. I like the way it has a nice ring to it; not many people have the name "Jack" anymore as a first name, so it's not overly burdened with unpleasant high-school associations. The latter would be the problem with using "Donald" or any other common first name in Chat. (I know more Davids than you could shake a stick at, and I actually like that name. But my Dave doesn't like to hear about other Daves who've done something "bad." :-) Not that I don't like the name Donald itself; it's just that other people have a way of projecting their own understanding of "Donaldness" onto you whether you like it or not. I also admit I can't say your "real" name without thinking of the Disney Duck(**). I suppose one of the joys of Internet communities is that if you're unhappy with your given birth name, you can always fix any shortcomings by giving yourself a more suitable persona. To be safe, just make sure to pay attention to what you do with this new good name that you create, and its new "personality".


Wolf "is loupy, as well as florid" spirit

(*) Well, *I* think you're quite saintly. Whaat? Don't want to be a saint when you grow up? Dagnabit, you're just not aiming high enough.

(**) Oh great, Donald Duck. Now I've SCARRED him. Quick! Re-read the previous statement about your being a saint! :^)