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17 July 2008

Oh what a tangled web we weave...


A funny thing happened on my way to the computer this morning...

When I first started this blog I did it for myself with no expectation that anyone else would read it. A way of committing myself to the effort of building my empire. I had talked about it for so long to so many people that they eventually got sick of it and told me to put up or shut up. Sage advice.

I figured I would practice my handicapping and get a feel for the ins and outs of the industry. While I have followed racing for over twenty five years-I remember Spectacular Bid's Kentucky Derby-it was as a casual fan, watching the big races on t.v. and going to Arlington on rare occasions. Growing up overseas didn't help much either.

My current employer, whom I am very fond of and not at liberty to disclose, has some arbitrary rules, or I guess requests, that his employees not blog or disseminate opinion in the public domain. The fact that I did not have a facebook page and had no idea what it was, was a huge plus during my interview. It is his name on my paycheck and he can ask whatever he wants, he doesn't force me to work there. Being socially inept and with the technological savvy of neanderthal man (those Geico dudes notwithstanding), I had no issues with the stipulation.

Then my friend clued me in to this whole blogging thing and how he does it for his own business (not horse racing related) and how it is a good way of keeping oneself in the game. If you put your decisions out there in the public domain it motivates you to keep after it and to do it right.

So faced with this moral dilemma, I did what any honest person would do; I created a phony identity, a nom de plume if you will. I took my two favorite individuals and smashed their names together. Harmless enough I thought.

Then something happened. I discovered all these other blogs by people in the industry who had real insight and an honest love for the game. I began to read their stuff and like the mafia, they sucked me right in. Even more strange, is that for some bizarre reason, people started reading my blog.

Not many but enough to give me pause about my deception.

I want to make it clear (for what little it is worth), that the only disingenuous thing is my name. The LLC is real, the opinions are my own, the quest for empire is genuine. I have made a hash of all this and for what is probably no good reason but there it is. The fault is my own.

I still like my job AND I need it so I continue to post under false pretenses but now you know that I am a lying bastard.

For those that have read my blog and to those that might, my sincere apologies.

I make it 3to5 against my posting this but I would recommend laying...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dude...don't give in to the MAN...ya got a good thing goin'.

Brooklyn Backstretch said...

When I started last fall, I did everything I could to make myself untraceable from blog life to real life--not because my employer requires it, but because I wanted to.

Several decisions in the interim that I willingly made have now blown all attempts at anonymity, and lo and behold, my employer thinks it's cool. Thank goodness.

Now I just have to hope that that kid who stalked me in high school can't find me...

Wind Gatherer said...

Thank you kindly for your understanding.

Geno- All I know about getting out of Buffalo is that the Grand Island bridge sucks!

Teresa-Turn the tables. Stalk HIM hardcore. Like some rabid, deranged spinstress in search of a husband. He will never bother you again.

Thanks again

Anonymous said...

I started my blog thinking that it would be way too boring for anyone to read. And then it started drawing the attention of the industry, which is overwhelming. My real name is on it and everything, which I don't mind, but I am really careful to put a lot of disclosures on there, that the opinions are my own, I'm not a lawyer, not affiliated with any law firm, etc. The weirdest thing is when you look at your blog stats and find out how people get to your page. Most are very normal ("morphine drug positives," "asmussen lidocaine," "horse racing problems"), but when people get there by searching for your name and city, that's kind of crazy! I figure as long as I fully disclose everything, with disclaimers, and don't feature things from my life, I won't get in any snafus.

Anyway, I certainly don't see any harm in what you've done. Your blog offers useful insights, and it's not abnormal to use an assumed name. I say no apologies needed.

Anonymous said...

Winston, no need to apologize or explain. Blogging pseudonymously is a distinguished tradition (if traditions can be said to exist in form that's been around for only 10 years or so).

The Bid

The Bid
Greatest horse ever to look through a bridle