It's time.
My name is Kim Vlasnik, and I write this blog.
*whew* That wasn't so bad. I have a last name! And there it is! And good luck pronouncing it correctly!
About a month ago, I wrote this post. Until recently, I have been pretty protective of who I am "in the real world" - and because of that, I've never used my full name anywhere on this site. I've frankly been a little bit scared to do so. (And don't call me Frankly?) But...
I've recently come to the decision that that's something I want to change.
This has been something I've been thinking about for a while, and now seems like a good time to make that edit to my blog (and online interactions). Why the change of heart? I've got a few reasons.
For one: there isn't much point anymore. Googling my name brings up a lot of diabetes stuff - which I'm starting to think of as a good thing. I'm friends with several DOC people on Facebook, so I'm "out" there, too. And with the addition of all the JDRF Government Day coverage, my name is all over the diabetes interwebz now. (I did realize that going in - and was waiting to decide until after I got back on how I wanted to proceed.)
Secondly, and more importantly, there's the whole "future employer" issue. (You might have heard me mention that among my points in the Blogger Roundtable video from JDRF Government Day. Even as I was saying that I don't use my last name on my blog, I thought "...but that doesn't make much sense, because I'm sitting here in front of you right now with my full name on the projector screen.") While I can be happy staying where I currently am job-wise for a while, it's not the sort of thing I will be making a career out of. The work I currently do will run its course, and unless I get hired to another department, I'll be looking elsewhere in a few years. What I'd like to do - what I'd really love - is to communicate about diabetes for a living. (I think that's the endgame dream for many who blog about life with diabetes, isn't it?) I don't know exactly what that means yet, or even what all of the possibilities are with that kind of goal, but I do know that I don't want to build a career doing something I'm not passionate about., At some point I need to take that leap. I realize there is risk associated with that plan, but it's one I want to take some day in the future. And people don't build work experience under a first name only (unless you're Cher).
And lastly - it just feels like a natural progression. I write about personal things here; it's a little weird that most of you wouldn't have recognized my name if you saw it. (Right?) I want to be as open and honest here as I can be, and to that end, here I am.
Here's hoping this doesn't come back to bite me in the butt.
Nice to meet you, Ms. Vlasnik. ;)
ReplyDeleteI SO could have written this post. Yup, all of it!!! For a long time I tried to keep my last name off-line, but somewhere around last fall I decided it was okay to put it out there & I went ahead and attached it to my Twitter account. And as for the future career hopes - I'm right there with you. Wouldn't it be great to have a job doing something we are so passionate about?
I think it's wonderful that you are putting your name out there. You write a fabulous blog and deserve credit for it. I can definitely see you getting that dream job someday.
ReplyDeleteGo you! :-) Here's to good things.
ReplyDeleteLike yourself and Karen, I went through the whole no full name debate for a long time. It's fine now, probably because I don't blog much anymore.
Good for you Kim!
ReplyDeleteyay kim! you're so brave! way to go! :)
ReplyDeleteMy last name isn't on anything but my facebook, but I don't really hid it either. I think you could probably google me & find d related stuff. Good for you about taking that step. :)
ReplyDeleteHey, I KNOW YOU!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm proud of you Kim Vlasnik - BIG TIME.
Thank you Mrs. Vlasnik!!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching the video's from the JDRF Roundtable and all that you contributed! Thank you for putting yourself out there to speak on our behalf! I'm not hot in heavy into the DOC really, just starting I guess, but for me putting my last name out there was fun, as I hated my maiden last name and with Kimler, there's more out there to confuse me with:)
Good job Kim for putting yourself out there!!!
It IS scary, I remember going through all of it upon getting my dLife column four years ago.
ReplyDeleteSometimes you'll wish you hadn't, most of the time you won't. :)
I agree with Rachel. I have been Allison Blass on the Internet for about 10 years, and didn't give it much thought when I was younger because I was published in newspapers first. Just seemed natural to keep up the identity trend. But even today, sometimes I do wish I was more anonymous, because you can feel a little stifled when you know that people know who you are.
ReplyDeleteBut most of the time I don't give a shit. And more often than not I still say what I would have said. :)
I think this will be really good for you, and for the plans that you have. You go girl!
Thanks Kim! I think this is wonderful news. I remember once being told to never mention diabetes professionally, especially to a potential employer. But thanks to the Internet, the only way I'd be able to hide meant no advocating at all. So here I am, last name and all. Thank you for your decision, and I think it's very encouraging!
ReplyDeletewhat if i come back to bite you in the butt?
ReplyDeleteC - that would make for a pretty awkward meet-up at FFL.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have a last name! My first AND last names are so distinctive that I don't ever type either - ever. Pretty sad, as I'd like to start a blog for us over-50's Type I's.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm intrigued by your last name. I am guessing it is of Slavic origin. Maybe Czech? Just wondering!
Very cool :)
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to meet the real you! I get it.... I've gone back and forth with using Sweetpeas real name. I did.... Then I didn't... Now I sometimes do.... It's confusing!! Thanks for being so real!!
ReplyDeleteWell, hello there! Great to know you, and meet you here in full name online. Not to mention, of course, meeting you in person!
ReplyDeleteI had my name out there in the newspaper world first, so didn't think much about putting it out there in the D-blogosphere. But I still try to keep a line between what I do professionally and personally on the D-front. But I also don't see myself going for anything in the future that wouldn't be D-focused, so I think that helps me keep it out there.
Anyhow, good for you and hope it leads to even more great things!
I started my blog annonymously, but it has grown into something that I am proud of and want to share. Although I still don't blare it out to the people I work with directly, it has become a source of empowerment to me in my career and I think that my message is overall positive. I too am always concerned about the opinion of future employers, and wondered what having my identity revealed on my blog might do. I hope it will bring good things, so far it has.
ReplyDelete