Hi.
Some of my blog friends have been participating in a discussion about anonymity, and it’s brought up an issue for me. I have a confession to make. Being completely technically challenged, I didn’t actually realize when I input my username that it was going to become part of my blog address and be available to everyone under the sun. I’m a bit dense that way. But once I did realize what was going on, I had made some nice new friends and felt like I couldn’t make a change without messing things up. Then I did (what was for me) a bunch of writing, and I really felt like it was too late to do anything.
I haven’t met a single person here so far who I mind having my name. I’ve been very fortunate. But I do have some concerns about the future. I don’t know how I would feel about people who live near me and know me in my daily life seeing what I choose to share here, and I’d really rather not have my current username. A helpful WordPress video showed me how I could change my username and even have all my blog information transferred over to the new address, but it also said there was no going back. And I don’t really know how that would affect things like having people who have already been kind enough to read my blog still be able to find me and having me show up on blogrolls and the blogging network.
So I’m going to do what I did when I first started blogging and just go ahead and ask for help. Does anyone have any advice? Is there a simple way to keep my current username from being associated with my blog and to still maintain all the rest? It’s not like I have a big following. Could I just put some kind of announcement on a blog post a while before actually making a change, or does something else make better sense? Should I post something in the comments of the blogs of people who’ve been kind enough to comment here? Is all this actually pointless, because now I’m officially connected to this name in webspace for all eternity?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Don't Panic 2.0 
Comments on: "Advice on making a change?" (13)
Here’s what I’d do if it was mine: make the transfer; delete your old posts here and leave one post up with the link for a couple weeks and then close this blog down. I’ll change your address on the directory and it should be good to go! I never noticed your url, by the way. 🙂
I really like this idea. So far wordpress is blocking my attempts to set up a brand new account, and I’m hesitant to have to learn something else. Supposedly they’ll let me instantly change my username/address and transfer everything over through my current account, but then I can’t go back to the old address to tell people about the new one, because the old one can’t be used anymore. I like gradual better, even if it is more work, but so far it’s a no go there. I have everything I’ve put on the blog backed up, in case it gets eaten during the process (I worry about these things:)). If I can’t get wordpress to let me set up a new free account even from my husband’s computer – which doesn’t have a history with wordpress, but is still getting a try again later message, I’ll probably just have to go that route and let as many people as I can know about the new address. Any “brilliant insights”?
Hey, it worked setting up a new wordpress account from Hubby’s computer once I used my other email address. I’ll be in touch if and when I get things set up and am ready for an offical address change. Thanks. 🙂
Glad it worked! 🙂 Just let me know when you’re ready for me to delete this link and add the new one. 🙂
I’ve got visitors here already so I can’t see a reason not to go ahead.
In case it doesn’t already show up, I’m at dontpanic55.wordpress.com
I’ll send you an email, too (so you don’t have to come looking for my comment:))
Thanks
I’m not much help on this, but I do know that when I leave this comment you’ll have my email address, if you don’t already. So when/if you have to make a change, just be sure to email me the location of the new blog so I can keep up! 🙂
Also, I’ll have to update my blogroll! 😉
Still getting this sorted out. Kim gave me a good idea, and I finally got it to work. I’ll be in touch if and when I make an official address change. 🙂
Made it!!!
Yay! 🙂
Hi Diane,
New address works!!
Thanks for letting me know 🙂
I’m subscribed to your new url now. 🙂
Thanks. That was quick. 🙂