Saturday 1 August 2009

Bi-Centennial

This is my 200th post.

How did I get here and where am I going? Actually I tend not to get too introspective about all that; I just post. One thing I have thought about recently however, is changing my blog name.

When I started blogging, I will admit part of my aim was to keep myself exposed as a writer while I a) got off my fat arse/fanny (American version) and finished my next book, and b) convinced my publisher that I was still a viable option for them. (Damn this stupid economy; it's made the publishing industry as a whole a bit lily-livered. - Quoting Shakespeare, just in case anyone from the office is reading this!)) Expat Mum seemed a very sensible name as that's what I am. I probably also found that anything else I came up with was already taken.

Now I often wonder if I've boxed myself in. I love being part of the Mommy/mummy blogging community but that's not all I am. I also love being part of the expat writing community but I'm more than that too! Then I remind myself that keeping "current" in these two communities is more than a full time job so I shouldn't really think about extending my blogging responsibilities. Besides, what would I call myself?

I briefly thought that Expat Tone (geddit?) would be good, but it's not a good URL to have. I have visions of people missing out one of the T's in the middle, being sent to that page that tells them the blog name is, in fact, theirs for the asking, and never bothering to try to find me. And then there's the problem of telling y'all that I have changed my name and my web address. What's the chances of every one of you making the necessary changes? I suspect that I would lose (and miss) more than a few of you if you're anything like me.

I hated my name growing up. Come on. How many English, female Toni's did you know back in the 60s and 70s? And being called Antonia in the north east of England? I got my head kicked in on a regular basis for being posh.It's all very well for Ms. Fraser, who I believe is now a Lady, but for a Geordie. Please. (I actually like it now thank goodness. And no offense/offence to another blogger.) All that being said, it would never have occured to me to actually change it, not least because my mother would have hit the roof.

So, in short, I'm sticking with Expat Mum. Unless anyone comes up with something so brilliant that I can't resist it.

.

19 comments:

  1. Congrats on the 200th post!
    Glad you are sticking with your name. I like it.
    I don't think that you are stuck in the *Mummy* bracket at all.
    I have wondered whether I made a mistake with the *grannie* description but I guess that's what I am and it doesn't only attract grannies!

    We started off blogging around the same time, didn't we?
    I think we have both developed our own styles and I don't know about yours, but my blog is like an old friend now!

    Hope yours goes on for a good bit longer as Expatmum!

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  2. Congratulations on your 200th post. I think your name is fine, it describes you exactly. I sometimes wonder about 'Working Mum', but that's me too!

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  3. Oh it's a bit early in the a.m. for me so i won't throw out any brilliant new names for your blog. i'm sure there'll be a few suggestions tho.
    but 2 things. congrats on your 200th and eeh your mother was a brave woman calling a geordie kid antonia. that would be the equivalent of being a boy named sue in wor neck of the woods eh?
    ;-)

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  4. Actually, I love your blog name...don't change a thing about it, please!
    Sandi

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  5. I know of other bloggers who've changed their name & blog focus. You could always grab BOTH blog names and just leave a pointer post from one to the correct one. I don't have any better blog names to suggest for you.

    I'm sure those of us who already come here regularly know the quality of your writing and don't really care what the blog name is or whether you focus is on being an expat mum. We'd follow you if you moved and told us where you were going!

    Perhaps you could just tweak the tag line after ExpatMum? That would be easier than moving!

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  6. Oh, I think you'll always be Expat Mum to me...

    Congrats on the 200th post.

    Antonia is a beautiful name, though I can imagine it is awkward to live with as a child.

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  7. Congratulations on reaching 200. x

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  8. Congrats adn Well Done, and you'll always be Expat Mum to me ;)

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  9. Note to self: always, always, always always proofread before post. I meant "Congrats and Well Done ... " Gosh, hwo annoying.

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  10. by the way- congrats on being a blogging old stager

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  11. To clarify, "Ayatollah" was the name given to me by Lakeland Jo and the other two cheeky monkies who used to work for me when we were all in London, back in the 80's.

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  12. Congratulations - you really are a veteran blogger now. (But not, hopefully, a cougar blogger!)

    Difficult to know about changing your name. In a way, your name is your brand when you blog, so it's risky to change things. (I've had the same dilemma, and decided to stick with Nappy Valley for the moment, partly for want of coming up with anything better). I think people who know you know that you're about much more than just being a Mum, so maybe just as Almost American says, just tweak the stapline?

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  13. Well done on the 200th post! I think "expatmum" is great (both in person and in the writing). I hadn't bargained on being called Hadriana...just loved "Hadriana's treasures" and thought I might use it for another business some time. Quite like being called Hadriana after all!

    I was concerned that all the Roman stuff might put people off but now don't give a hoot! (Besides it doesn't seem to matter.)

    I knew someone who hated being called "Shaun" (American name) and she was a girl. It must have been the boy/girl thing too.

    All in all (I know I'm waffling here) - just you being you is more than fine! ;)

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  14. How about Stinking Toni? I like the name 'Toni' and I would be honoured if we were linked in this way. No? Okay then, maybe 'Geordie Girl'?
    Oh, I give up. :-(

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  15. Stick with it. Definitely. Mind you, I could be saying that as a fellow blogger who frequently asks herself 'WHY???' when she looks at her blog name, and just needs company. I'm not, of course...

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  16. Interesting comments y'all. The first other female Toni I met was when I was 26! That's how unusual it was in England. Here, not so much and we have a lot of women my age with male names like Shawn/Shaun, Teri, Jamie. There are a few Micheals although that seems to have come a bit earlier than my generation. Hmmm. This would make a good post - the strangest names I have come across over here.
    The funny thing is my own daughter has a male-ish name, but I continue to love it.

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  17. I agree with everyone that it's difficult to change your blogging name once you have it - I guess it's a bit like your own given name from birth... sometimes you'd love to change it but feel guilty about doing so and end up realising that you do in fact love it... and I too also got a lot of stick growing up from the kids at school!
    Big Hug! X
    Donnie Osmond - and they call it Puppy Looooove.... paper roses, paper roses.... oh shut up Donnie!

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  18. Congrats on the 200th post! I think about changing my blog name too, but to sound more like a mummy!!

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