Yes, it’s true – By the time I link to this page I’ll have ‘come out’ and started using my real name on Twitter. That’ll slowly spread to my other social networks it’ll just take some time to get to them all and decide if I’ll be maintaining separate accounts or merging them on the various networks.
“Why now?” you ask? One – it gets tiring. Two – it gets really tiring after more than two years. Three – I think I’ve taken this as far as I need to, or can, in the current guise. I started the account out of boredom and to call out bad industry practices on all three sides of the table (workmates (colleagues & bosses), clients and press). Somewhere along the way I got lucky enough to learn a bit about social networks, bloggers and blogging, SEO, etc. etc. and meet a few thousand great folks in y’all.
It also doesn’t hurt that my current boss knows all about my alter ego, actually met Cog as Cog, and only years later did we end up working together (and perhaps one of the most entertaining parts is this comment on my blog from nearly two years ago). It’s also astounding that everyone at my agency has managed to keep the secret for as long as they have. I’m duly impressed. It’s also equally impressive that no one’s caught any of my officemate’s occasional fun comment.
Now it’s time to keep moving (to steal a Johnny Walker marketing slogan) but for the next steps, for both “me” and Cog, it’s time to come together (to steal a Beatles line) 
.
I’ll be seeing you out there.
~NB
Those who know me well would be extremely impressed that I kept this secret for so long.
Heh, too bad I can’t ‘Like’ comments on my own blog…
Good so now you don’t have to tell me which name you used to make brunch reservations. LOL
Ha!
Yay! Happy unveiling day!
I’m impressed you were able to keep the secret so long. Me thinks it’s time for me to plan another NYC trip!
Thanks very much Heather – and yes, definitely time for another NYC trip.
As someone who’s had at least two anonymous online personas (and as your friend, who’s had to keep this a secret along with about half a dozen other people I know who run such online charades!), I understand both the freedom and loneliness/confusion that come with such monikers. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you first as “Cog” and then as the in-the-flesh N. Will certainly be less jarring to me when I see your actual photo pop up or worry about which account I need to tweet w/ which comment! It’s been an amazing journey, for sure, and that comment from Elizabeth is beyond fabulous. Much love and luck “merging” personas!
Hey L -
Thanks so much. It’s been my abs pleasure getting to know you as well. And yes, def no worries now on which persona to tweet with…
Congrats on the big reveal! Now I don’t have to ask you which name to call you by when we go to public events
Also not a small factor in the decision
I think I deserve a shout out for being one of the first to see you in person. So there.
Rachel Kay
Haha, very true. So shouted out
I suggest you do a social media release about this historic announcement. But you can make the interns send it out. Looking forward to seeing you. P.S. I enjoy following your boss Elizabeth on Twitter.
Now there’s an idea
So happy that I got to know Cog, and so happy to have gotten to know you
Aww Val thanks so much! Same here. All the projects (and future ones I’m sure) have been great. And tonight’s happo is just the icing on the cake
I’m thinking of legally changing my name. Congrats!
You mean you haven’t yet?
And just think, we’ll finally get to meet face-to-face come late May. The REAL reveal!
Haha – wait, you’re real? And here I thought you were fictional like Mr. Danny Brown.
I remember when Rachel met you IRL — it was such an event! I think I met you a few weeks later but I was always kind of peeved Rachel beat me to the punch. Hope you don’t mind if I call you Cog for the rest of your life, it’s so much easier than Nathan. All those syllables.
Haha, that was quite a meeting. Indeed, you met me just a few weeks later and shortly thereafter a number of your fantastic colleagues! Hope all’s well over there this morning. Stay dry, until closing time that is, then open the SA…
Like Stephanie, I think you’ll always be Cog to me, but Nathan Burgess has a certain ring to it. Nice to “meet” you, Mr. Burgess. :p
Hey Shonali -
No worries – I fully expect, and embrace, Cog and that his “existence” allowed me to connect with so many great people, so the Cog moniker is more than welcome
. Great to meet you as well. Hopefully one of these days it’ll be in person.
After reading this post, all of a sudden I feel so alone. The plan was to distribute a joint news release at 10k followers. Haha…you’ll always be Cog to me dude.
-prdude
Dude, so very sorry about that, but it seems to have been the right time…
I have been so impressed by your successful anonymity and must admit that I am sad to learn your true identity.
Long live Cog.
Hey Kelly – So sorry about that, knew it would happen to some folks. I assure you, the snark is still here. Hopefully now though there’ll also be some extra oomph.
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Wow, this all just too much for me. What a trip.
Ha! Very nice TBB. Hope all’s well on the W. Coast.