I think we all need to BRACE ourselves that the outcome of the contests may be Disappointing. Like when you have a book you’ve read a few times, and you have a mental picture of all the characters, and then a movie is made of it and they cast Natalie Portman, who is lovely but you were imagining someone more like Drew Barrymore. (Did she just compare herself to one or both of two thin, childless, beautiful, famous, wealthy actresses who are also younger than her? OH YES SHE DID.)
Or when a friend is pregnant and due any day, and you are DYING to know if the baby is a boy or a girl and what the name is, and you think you might just BURN UP from curiosity, and then the baby is born and you have the information and it’s sort of…flat. You love the name, the baby is great—but the impact is less than you would have expected, considering the anticipation level. It’s all over now, and now you know. (Did she just compare the excitement of finding out her name/photo to the excitement of the birth of a new human being? OH YES SHE DID.)
It might be wise for everyone to have plans for some other treat to occur on Friday, so that once the contest is over you will have a reason to go on anticipating the future with joy. Some sort of bakedy thing, or a Target trip, something like that. We should handle this like the holidays: we KNOW there will be a sinking feeling when they’re over, so we can plan for it.
Also, I hope you will go on thinking of me as Swistle even when you know what is technically my “real name.” I think of MYSELF as Swistle now.
You’ll always be Swistle to me, hon. :D
Ha! Prepping us for an anti-climactic experience. Nope, I still think it will be exciting. Or at the very least, interesting.
I must admit that I am pumped about The Big Reveal! I will try to prepare myself in case of letdown, but I am not too worried about it.
Sometimes I think of my husband as “H” because that is what I call him on my blog, even though his name doesn’t even start with an H in real life. I never think of myself as -R- though.
Don’t worry, you’ll always be Swistle. You just will.
You couldn’t possibly be anything other than Swistle in my mind. I have to admit that I’ve mulled over name possibilities for you before. You once said “Swistle” sounded not that far fetched from your real name and I ran with that. I’ll wait on revealing my guess though. ;)
I cannot wait to hear what everyone THINKS your name is! That is going to be the BEST PART!
One time I called my husband “BR” when I was talking to a coworker. Uh. That was awkward. I just pretended like it never happened. One reason why I hate those stupid pseudonyms. The longer I blog, the more my bitterness grows at the futility of it all.
I like Swistle. My husband knows who I’m talking about when I say Swistle. Plus, it rhymes with Thistle and who can beat that! :)
Awww man… we have to wait till Friday?
Um, I SO RELATE to the need to “prep” people before revealing myself, whether it be meeting my fiance online or going to a job interview or setting up a wedding vendor meeting. But you will always be Swistle to us, and thus always glorious.
There is no better name than Swistle Thistle.
haaaa. i ALWAYS havea mental image of characters in book, but virtually never have a mental image of actual people before i meet them. so i will be pleasantly surprised no matter WHAT!
Weeellll…I have to admit if you DO look like Natalie Portman then I might be a little ruffled. Because then I would NEVER RELATE TO YOUR DIETING WOES AGAIN.
I think I’m glad I learned your name under less dramatic circumstances, just so I don’t have to face the disappointment.
(Confidential to anyone who really, really wants to win this contest – I am open to bribery.)
agree with opus #6…
You’ll always be Swistle to me.
I think another level of excitement is that you will be writing somewhere else, too! Where is it? How often? Will Swistle still keep writing at her other locations? Etc.
I actually like Swistle better than your real name, because it’s one you picked yourself, so it suits you perfectly. Your Name is fine, don’t get me wrong, but Swistle is so…. catchy and fun!!!! It’s funny – online I think of you as Swistle, but when I’m not online I think of you as…
We can’t handle the truth!
Okay, maybe we can.
I’m excited, but promise to not be disappointed by the outcome.
I’d be more interested in your discussions with your hubs, since wasn’t it he who wanted the anonymity kept? And will the MIL find you here if you come out? Or is your other name only going to b at your other place. Oh! So many questions…
I agree that the guessing will be the most fun. When you said light brown hair, green eyes and glasses, I immediately pictured Angela Jolie with glasses. I’m probably close, right?!
OH NO SHE DIDN’T!
Sorry. I had to do that.
No matter how AWESOME your name is, I will always think of you as Swistle. It’s the same way with Linda – she’ll always be “Sundry” to me.
I’ve got some good ideas brewin’ so bring on the contest!
I promise I will still think of you as Swistle, if YOU WILL JUST TELL US YOUR NAME!!!!!
Omaha Mama- Paul only made me promise about the kids’ names—but he’s okay with me using my name. And it’ll only be my first name, so I don’t think it’ll attract the MIL. …But I probably won’t use it here much after the contest is over, just to be on the safe side!
I like Swistle. I missed out on the contest so I still don’t know your real name!
This is so exciting! I was just recently thinking that I wished I could see a picture of you! And a name TOO?!
Like everyone has said so far, you will always be known as Swistle no matter what your real name is. It’s just like a mother is always known as a mom, a grandmother known as a grammy and so on. (Did she just compare swistle to a mom and a grandmother OH YES SHE DID)I can’t believe you’re making us wait til Friday!!!!!
Once a Swistle, always a Swistle.
But this is very exciting!!!
You are funny. Trying to “soften the blow” or prepare us for disappointment or something. :D Like my grandma does. Not that you are old, she is just motherly, too.
It will be great fun. I think you have found a fantastic way to make a situation that you might not have readily chosen into a great treat.
Well, Shannon Misguided Mommy is coming to visit me on Friday and we are going to a store that sells ONLY CUPCAKES. So we will be cool with whatever- given that we will be stuffing our faces with CHOCOLATE.
XO!
This is FUN!
Oh no! It’s like when you read a book and you imagine the heroine one way and then they go and make a movie out of it and wreck your happy little illusion. For some reason, in my imagination you’re a redhead.