Letting the Mask Drop a Little

When I first started blogging back in 2004, I did it under my own name, and didn't start hiding my identity until about 2007 or so.  Being on the academic job market at the time meant that I was wary of  having my blog used against me, and so I figured it was best to create a secret identity to protect myself.  I am now beginning to think that maintaining my anonymity is a little cowardly and also a drag on my writing.  Sheltering behind a persona has made it easier for me to express my true thoughts and emotions, but it has also been too easy to angrily vent my spleen and not consider my words.  I'm keeping my Werner Herzog's Bear handle, partly because that's how most folks online know me, and party because I've always been proud of it. However my official name can be found on the sidebar, for anyone who's actually interested.  To all my friends whom I've scolded in the past about connecting my name to the blog on social media, don't sweat it anymore.  I figure if people are going to love or hate what is written here, they ought to know who's doing the talking.