How real is your online you?

[Hylas]

I'm safe then. No need to be suspicious of me

 

LOL. Sif that picture of you licking a rose isn't incredibly seductive. You ARE safe, but only because you're a wominz.

[Arpeggio]

I'm safe then. No need to be suspicious of me

 

Oh Nephy, you're so funny. This whole gay community would be willing to date you. XD

[Nephylim]

LOL. Sif that picture of you licking a rose isn't incredibly seductive. You ARE safe, but only because you're a wominz.

 

 

That's not me HAHAHA. That's just a random pic I downloaded from the net. I am SO flattered that you think it is me though Maybe I shoud get a new photo taken and post it in the 'Show yourself' thread and give you all a real scare. The one on my profile is me though

[Hylas]

That's not me HAHAHA. That's just a random pic I downloaded from the net. I am SO flattered that you think it is me though Maybe I shoud get a new photo taken and post it in the 'Show yourself' thread and give you all a real scare. The one on my profile is me though

 

OMG foot in mouth moment. LOL. But seriously I made the assumption because the personal photo in your profile DOES look like your avatar. Just find a rose and imitate the pose. XD

[Forty-Two]

It doesn't make any sense at all. It's not the face I'm interested it's what's behind it. If I find out you've been to the UK without calling in I'll send a bat after you Seriously we're all far too concerend about how we come across to others and I am no different in that. The only pictures I have posted on the site are ones that are VERY flattering. If anyone has looked at my facebook ones you will see more the real me. Thinking about it I suppose my online me is not real at all... not in that I lie but that in I don't tell all of the truth. I think I might blog on this... hmmm Anyway. I promise I won't take a thing away from you... or anyone else who knocks my door. i will add to your waist size though as no one gets away without being fed

 

 

Thanks Neph - you should always tell me when I'm being ridiculous!

 

no one knows the real me, not online and definatly not in real life, but online i feel a bit more happier because i dont have to hid so much

 

I felt this way for a long time and I don't know if it will ever fully go away. But the main thing I have found out is that if someone doesn't know something about me that I wish they did, I'm the only one who can fix the situation by telling them how I truly feel. I'm much more secure now knowing that the things people don't know about me are the ones I choose to keep to myself.

 

I actually have two online identities.

 

...

 

My 'main identity' is more 'professional'. It includes my real email, my facebook account with my full name, the rest of my social networking accounts where I use my full name, my LinkedIn account, my art accounts, Paypal account, Youtube account, etc.

 

...

 

I still don't share my full real name in my 'gay accounts' though. Since some of my postings are a bit... unprofessional. LOL. My employment prospects would drop like a lead weight if a simple google search would find me writing some questionable steamy gay sex scenes or have me drooling over some football player. XD

 

...

 

Besides, if I'm fake I would have chosen far better looking pictures than the ones I use haha. If that isn't an indication that I'm real, I don't know what is.

 

 

Being more open because you know your employer can't trace you is a really good point. I post very little controversial stuff on Facebook and never post things like drunken pictures because I would hate for someone I don't know well to look me up and think I'm that shallow, and I would hate even more to miss out on a good job opportunity or get fired because some random online rant or pic.

 

Honestly, it would never occur to me to doctor my pics before I post them. If I want to look good, I make sure I look good before taking the pic. I am way too lazy to photoshop out all my flaws just to post pics online.

 

 

Lol, I dislike country music but I love the lyrics

 

Oh Nephy, you're so funny. This whole gay community would be willing to date you. XD

 

I agree. Can I get in on the Nephy pile up?

 

OMG foot in mouth moment. LOL. But seriously I made the assumption because the personal photo in your profile DOES look like your avatar. Just find a rose and imitate the pose. XD

 

Totally do it. I was wondering about whether that was you too because there IS a certain similarity between your avatar and your profile pic. Maybe its the confidence

[Nephylim]

OMG foot in mouth moment. LOL. But seriously I made the assumption because the personal photo in your profile DOES look like your avatar. Just find a rose and imitate the pose. XD

 

 

I might just do that

[jon-jon]

 

 

That about sums it up!

[Heart]

I try to keep my online persona as honest as possible, what you read is what you get, that just is the real me, on the other hand I'm more than someone who types in words, its actions as well that counts. I find I'm more vocal or i should say, I have more to say on the site, than making small talk for the sake of it. the thing about lying, the more you lie, the more you have to remmember, chat soon

[Tristan]

Everything about my online persona, bar my name, is true. I even as shy on here as in real life, half the time I write a reply, comment or status update but then chicken out and delete it

[phana14]

Everything about my online persona, bar my name, is true. I even as shy on here as in real life, half the time I write a reply, comment or status update but then chicken out and delete it

Tristan,

PM Nephylim and tell HER you are *shy* and ask for advice. You like-I think!

[DragonMando]

I'd have to say my online-me is more real than my in-person me. In person, I tend to shut down everything about myself that's unique and I only let myself be "me" online. Part of this, I know, is because I have a mild case of Asperger's syndrome so I tend to have a hard time grasping things like what's acceptable behaviour in face-to-face things, so I just switch off and become a robot so I don't offend anyone. Online I can think longer about what I say and do before it actually comes out, plus it's written instead of said, so I can fix most of my wording/language/grammar/spelling before I hit the Post button. I can say what I mean instead of what pops into my head first, I guess.

[phana14]

I'd have to say my online-me is more real than my in-person me. In person, I tend to shut down everything about myself that's unique and I only let myself be "me" online. Part of this, I know, is because I have a mild case of Asperger's syndrome so I tend to have a hard time grasping things like what's acceptable behaviour in face-to-face things, so I just switch off and become a robot so I don't offend anyone. Online I can think longer about what I say and do before it actually comes out, plus it's written instead of said, so I can fix most of my wording/language/grammar/spelling before I hit the Post button. I can say what I mean instead of what pops into my head first, I guess.

 

Hi DragonMando.

That is exactly why I don't do *chat*!

I even confuse myself sometimes. :wacko:

[Ramon]

Most of things I that make up the online me is pretty much the same as the in person me. The only thing not me is the avatar. I actually think I come off shier (shyer? Is that correct?) online than I am in person though. I spent a lot of my time at school surrounded by people in class or badminton teammates so I sort of know the dynamic. I can easily voice my opinion or hold a conversation, sort of. The fact that I only know a few people here actually makes it more intimidating for me.

 

In the forums, aside from the last post wins thread (which I will totally win!), I usually type a reply up and then delete it because I feel that what I am going to say either has already been said or isn't up to par with the discussion. I'm also never quite sure if I'm typing a run-on sentence or not, which doesn't help.

 

Then there is chat, which is a totally different beast. People type so quickly and two or three conversations can be going on at the same time so it is kind of confusing. There have even been times when I actually just dropped by and not said a things besides a "hi" and a "good bye." Kinda creepy, right? The only time I ever get to talk to people there is if are only a few people or if Sam is there. Mr. Bugeye can get me to talk for some reason.

[Mark Arbour]

Most of things I that make up the online me is pretty much the same as the in person me. The only thing not me is the avatar. I actually think I come off shier (shyer? Is that correct?) online than I am in person though. I spent a lot of my time at school surrounded by people in class or badminton teammates so I sort of know the dynamic. I can easily voice my opinion or hold a conversation, sort of. The fact that I only know a few people here actually makes it more intimidating for me.

 

In the forums, aside from the last post wins thread (which I will totally win!), I usually type a reply up and then delete it because I feel that what I am going to say either has already been said or isn't up to par with the discussion. I'm also never quite sure if I'm typing a run-on sentence or not, which doesn't help.

 

Then there is chat, which is a totally different beast. People type so quickly and two or three conversations can be going on at the same time so it is kind of confusing. There have even been times when I actually just dropped by and not said a things besides a "hi" and a "good bye." Kinda creepy, right? The only time I ever get to talk to people there is if are only a few people or if Sam is there. Mr. Bugeye can get me to talk for some reason.

 

 

Your post here was quite articulate. I think you sell yourself short.

 

 

[Ramon]

Thanks. I think the whole intimidation thing is more related to the more serious topics. The Soapbox, for example, is one place that will take a while before I post in though I read it quite a bit.

[Forty-Two]

Most of things I that make up the online me is pretty much the same as the in person me. The only thing not me is the avatar. I actually think I come off shier (shyer? Is that correct?) online than I am in person though. I spent a lot of my time at school surrounded by people in class or badminton teammates so I sort of know the dynamic. I can easily voice my opinion or hold a conversation, sort of. The fact that I only know a few people here actually makes it more intimidating for me.

 

In the forums, aside from the last post wins thread (which I will totally win!), I usually type a reply up and then delete it because I feel that what I am going to say either has already been said or isn't up to par with the discussion. I'm also never quite sure if I'm typing a run-on sentence or not, which doesn't help.

 

Then there is chat, which is a totally different beast. People type so quickly and two or three conversations can be going on at the same time so it is kind of confusing. There have even been times when I actually just dropped by and not said a things besides a "hi" and a "good bye." Kinda creepy, right? The only time I ever get to talk to people there is if are only a few people or if Sam is there. Mr. Bugeye can get me to talk for some reason.

 

The more you chat and post the more you will get to know people and feel a part of the dynamic, then the less shy you should feel! I really wouldn't worry much about stuff like run-on sentences. As long as people get your meaning, I doubt they'll be put off much by stuff like that. I run on all the time and no-one's yelled at me for it yet And so what if someone has already said what you're thinking? Isn't it still worth it to say "I agree"? I say that all the time when I'm the 50th person posting and everything has already been said. It still adds to the conversation to see how many people that way.

 

I have to admit, I accidentally went into the chat once and ran away never to be seen again. It can be intimidating. Keep at it! The more you chat/post the better you will feel! Never type something and then delete it! Be a big mouth like me!

[Adam Phillips]

I'm pretty much myself online and have been getting more myself all the time, to the extent that I'll actually talk on the phone occasionally to online friends. I've even chatted on cam with one of them, and I gotta tell you that when I first started doing this online stuff years ago I swore I would never ever get that "real" with an online acquaintance. My last name online is a pseudonym. I don't hide my online activities from the people in my offline world who are closest to me. They also know pretty much everything there is to know about me. On the other hand, while I don't know that I hide my real self from my other "realworld" friends and acquaintances--that is, if someone were ever to ask me if I were bisexual I wouldn't deny it--my lifestyle choices run pretty conventional "young-married-suburban-professional," so it never really comes up. I've been in a profession where I wouldn't really want people who know me reading my online stories, but these days I'm more or less self-employed in a line of work where my clients wouldn't give a shit because the work I do for them is essentially anonymous. That's made me feel so gutsy I recently actually put up a borderline racy PG-13 picture of myself--though I cropped out the upper half of my face and all of the interesting portion of below-the-waist --for my online friends for a while, then thought better of it and took it down.

 

In gay/bi venues online, I'm more likely to be open and upfront about dimensions of myself that are generally known offline only by the people who are closest to me in life: my wife, my parents, my siblings, my bff. It's one of the reasons I participate online: To be with a community of people who "get it," but whom I don't have to look in the eye at work.

 

Personality-wise, what you see here is pretty much what you get in real life. Kind of hyper, pretty gregarious, a little passionate, and frequently in-your-face and regretting it later. (Cf. "Evolution" thread )

[Toast]

Adam that was from me.

[Adam Phillips]

Adam that was from me.

 

Thanks.