Tomorrow, it’ll be 300 days since I signed up for Twitter.
Since then, I’ve launched two blogs, been picked up everywhere from the Atlantic to Huffington Post to Countdown with Keith Olbermann, met some amazingly talented people, garnered more Twitter followers than the entire population of Hot Springs, South Dakota, got sued, got even, and moved 3,000 miles to take a job that’s largely focused on new media strategy. It’s been an incredible ride, and my head still hasn’t stopped spinning.
But in my new role as a “respectable adult” I’m under some obligations that don’t allow me to speak as freely as I’m used to, particularly when it comes to my twin passions of profanity and politics. I completely understand the reasoning behind these restrictions, and I’d respect them even if I didn’t as I am not especially keen to get myself fired and/or sued (again). But watered-down me is not me, and if I can’t tell Meghan McCain to eat an economy-sized bag of dicks in front of everyone on Twitter, I’m not sure why I’d want to tweet at all.
So I’m going to step back, drink heavily, take a week or so to think about the relationship between authenticity and new media success and consider where I want to go from here.
I’d love to hear what you all think. Send me an @ reply or DM or leave a comment below.
I say “undercover operative Stephanie” who cusses like a sailor, or well, more than a sailor… but who’s secret super-identity is only known to her closets allies and confidants.
Probably might need a secret identity for her trusty sidekick Henry too… cause I’m sure he’s picked up a lot of his mommy’s potty mouth ways.
And ya know… he also has a new DC reputation to uphold.
“But in my new role as a “respectable adult” I’m under some obligations…”
No, Schatzie. If you think your new role is “respectable adult,” you’re under some kinda delusion. Profane? Yes. Funny? Check. Sometimes head-twistingly insightful? Yup. “Respectable?” It is to laugh….
Taking time to drink and think is wise, grasshopper. Just remember, it’s more important to have a life than to tweet about it.
And the rendering of you is luvverly, but catch a shave and shower occasionally. And when you do, don’t tweet about it.
So, can you still cyber?
@Ken: Ha I didn’t write this post. I just posted it for “someone else.”
@Fancy Pants: As Cody above says, a new secret identity is the way to go. At least with blog posts. Twitter is another story. A lot of what made it fun to follow you on twitter was having some idea of who you were. A twitter feed, out of the earlier context of your life, may not make much sense. But you can go hog wild writing blog posts under any ol’ new screen name. And I hope you do. Sometimes being a grownup sucks. Or so I’ve heard. Can’t really speak from experience.
@ shorts: Ha and you only buy Hustler for “the articles.”
W.C. Fields chafed under the restrictions that the Hayes Code imposed, and he still managed to be one profane and funny guy in spite of it. And got his point across.
Mae West went to jail over “Sex,” and she still managed to *always* get her point across.
So what if the “system” throttles words? You can still get the point across. And then subverting the system becomes fun, too.
Alternatively, why not bifurcate yourself? One Shorts for the media which must be palliated, and one Shorts In The Raw.
Dr. Hunter S. Thompson said it best: “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”
C’mon Shorts, you got not problem with the weird. Turn Mo’ Pro!