The Evolution of my Internet Persona

I have used a lot of nicks or handles in my life as a netizen. I have been the Scorpionx, Bodythief, Memnoch1028, Raglan_James and Magnus in various chatrooms and websites. I have been JP, Paulo, Paul, Shadowsteel, lonehunter_ph, Boysuplado, Boytoy1028, Supladongbata and UrbanKnight. I have been really, REALLY creative in coming up with my aliases. Truly when you're on the net, you can be anyone you want to be.

Among all these nicknames and aliases, a few stuck to me most: Bodythief, Shadowsteel, Boysuplado and Urbanknight. I think I've used this four aliases on the net more often than the rest for the reason that I identify with them most. Allow me to introduce you to my four most favorite net persona(s):

I have a copy of this book's
edition among many
if not almost all of Anne Rice's
Vampire Chronicles.

Bodythief - My all-time favorite net persona that I even made up a fantasy story of myself melding into the character. Probably worth a blog or a short story soon. I think I have used this nickname on the net and in various sites more often than the rest. If you are not familiar with the Body Thief, he happens to be taken from the lead character in one of Anne Rice's novels.

Raglan James learned how to steal another's body by switching souls with his victims. He had the misfortune of trying to steal the body of Lestat, Anne Rice's protagonist in the Vampire Chronicles. The book went on about how Lestat, with the help of his friends, outwitted and outplayed the Body Thief.

Anyway, my point here is that I chose the Bodythief because in my search for an identity, I sort of like, assimilated those of whom I interacted with at the time. I sort of "borrowed" identities in my hopes to define my own. The bodythief I guess, has been my alter ego for the longest time because I have searched long and hard to find my self. I can't say I have already found my entire life's purpose but suffice to say I have found the need to change overtime to adapt to changes in my life. I will be forever grateful to this alter ego for he opened doors to different aspects of the net (and my life) that I never knew existed. For years he and I trodded the same path. But the bodythief has served his purpose. He gave way for new alter egos to be born.

Boysuplado - need I say more? People who know me personally or at least know of me would lay testimony to this charateristic. I am suplado (snob) incarnate. Even on the net, I'm very seldom to be the one to make the first move and more likely to throw somebody off even if all they did was say "hi". I find that this persona though attracts a lot of attention and admirers. Ideal for not so wholesome sites and anonymous social networking sites (all the pun intended!) Hhhmmm... I guess the Boysuplado persona stays, but I gotta learn how to curb and tone him down. Sayang ang free drinks sa bars. hehe.

Shadowsteel - perhaps my most sentimental internet persona. He's the lonestar warrior, star-crossed lover and sentimental micro-blogger born out of Twitter. He's probably my most-opinionated persona, unafraid to lambast almost anybody whether or not that somebody is on Twitter. Oh, nevermind that he only has 81 followers. Nyahahaha!

Nevertheless, The Shadowsteel has been one of my softer alter-egos as well. I started blogging with him and has digitized my literary creations through him. I learned Multiply, Twitter, Blogspot, Wordpress and similar sites through him. As Shadowsteel, I began to see the internet as an avenue of growth and not just a venue to socialize and stalk people. Ironically, as Shadowsteel, I am bolder, harder, more fearless, more visible yet quiet and stealthy as PeterPan's shadow. I am slowly showing off my face on the net as I am coming into terms with who I am and what I desire to be.

The Original Manhunt Central Avatar:
The Majestic Manhunt Centaur - the
true Urban Knight.

Urbanknight (Urbanite) - I have thought of this name way back when I was still co-managing a chatroom via IRC and was elected area manager for its Ortigas and Makati districts. Given our city location, why couldn't chatters of our area be not called such? We were after all, the Central Business District dwellers, we were the authentic urban dwellers - the "urbanites". Naturally our busy city lives eventually took over and the Urban Knights drifted apart. I however, think this name still lives in me and is now more than ever descriptive of what I have become through the years. You see I am still here living in the heart of the Metro, still breathing, still fighting to survive the urban jungle. My life experiences has broadened allowing me to be more mature, in views, attitude, action and perspective in life both on and off the net. It is still me, the sentimental Bodythief with the angst of Boy Suplado and the stealthiness yet daring of the Shadowsteel all fused into this urban fighter. I now walk through life bolder yet sensitive, stronger yet gentle and fiercer now more than ever. I am definitely more (mis)adventurous now and I will more than likely write more about them as I live the mark I know I leave into the lives of the people I touch.