Thanks for your comments to my last post. HellBoy is doing a little better; the Pre-K transition was slowed way down, he’s no longer sick, and he’s now breathing while he sleeps (of course, now we finally have an ENT appointment). Last night was a little traumatic because BadCat used HB’s precious guitar case as a litter box, but overall he’s been more cheerful.
Work, on the other hand, is awful. That’s all I’ll say on that subject for now.
The main purpose of this post is to ask for suggestions for a new blog name. I have several reasons for wanting to change it, but I have no idea what to change it to. Thoughts?
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
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43 comments:
Nerdy lurker-fan asks:
Why do you want to change it? It seems perfect. What are a few of your reasons for wanting a different name? This will help your readers come up with a good new one.
For instance, are you wanting to leave the world of medicine and be a yoga instructor? A goat herder?
How about LISTEN UP, MAGGOTS!
Oh, that's a toughie. But when I think DoctorMama i also think LISTEN UP MAGGOTS.
I don't have any good suggestions, but I do love the name DoctorMama.
Loving "Doctor Mama" but a little context would help us help YOU with this.
Sorry work sucks but I am thrilled that HB is doing better. Looking forward to what the ENT has to say...
Running with scalpels? That would mix your love of running and your profession... kinda.
Just a thought. :)
I like DoctorMama too. It's easy to remember, and appealing--not super-cute. No suggestions here--though "Running with Scalpels" is funny!
I agree--what do you want to emphasize--where are you going with your blog?
Anne
Put Down That Cigarette And Buckle Your Fucking Seat Belt! or The Maggot Herder.
Seriously, I like Running With Scalpels too.
HELL'S MOMMA.
But Running with Scalpels and Listen Up Maggots are great too.
Put me in for Running With Scalpels! I'll be sorry to see DoctorMama go (especially because I love the subtitle) but I'm mostly glad *you're* not going.
And of course, like the others, I'm curious as to the reason behind the change.
NurseDad, definitely. Or HospitalAdministratorAuntie. Or HMOAssholeCousin. You've got a good formula--just tweak it a tad.
Yep. I'm sorry, but I need to know the reason for changing before I can give suggestions. I personally love the name. Easy to remember. You're a doctor. You're a mama. Nuf said, no?
If you're discarding the name DoctorMama... can... can I have it?
I'm happy with the name, but I think I may HAVE to change it. I don't want is to be outed at work, and there's a chance I could be. Recently the threat of discovery increased, and changing the name will probably decrease that threat. I don't think I need to go deep undercover -- I'm not planning to take down the site or old links -- but there is a much lower chance of someone I know stumbling across me if I alter the name.
I don't know, maybe I'm being paranoid -- I've told a couple of you privately why I'm worried; what do you think? Is eventual discovery inevitable anyway?
(By the way, I don't use scalpels very often ... maybe a couple of times a month. Could be false advertising?)
Twice a month is still loads more than me... which would be never lol.
Running with stethoscopes just doesn't have the right ring.
Seriously, it's got to be something you feel good about and that includes changing the name at all.
I don't know if complete anonymity is truly possible as readership numbers grow but then I'm new to the blogging world.
My thoughts are with you though as you deal with the struggles prompting you to entertain the thoughts of a name change. You rock! :)
Hi,
I have been following your blog for a while.
Its hard when you have to change a name to remain invisable.
How about...
Is there a Doctor in the house?.
Medic Mom.
Dial D for Mum.
Sort of along the same lines but different wording.
Good Luck !
Hi,
Fan from first post. I think your concerns of being outed are valid. Everyone knows Dooce right? Sure, she made lemons out of lemonaid, but it doesn't sound like you want to leave medicine and become a full-time blogger/celebrity/Web designer.
I'm a freelance SEO copywriter. My suggestion to you is make it very difficult for someone to accidentally google you or intentionally google you. A simple solution: Keep original title, but misspell it so a meta search comes up with nothing. For example, DochterMahma or some such iteration would work.
I kind of like 'running with scalples' as well. Do you use any other sharp objects?
Being outed is never a good thing...it's one of the fears that keeps me from starting to blog.
Anonymous again:
she made lemonaide out of lemons. Wow, talk about bassakward. Sorry. New older mom, sleep deprived.
I like Listen up Maggots. It's kind of mean, but it has a backstory.
I will warn you though, that I think not being outted is tough. I'm a fairly active blog reader, and my guess is that I would know who you were, if you hung around anywhere in my vicinity. It seems a bad assumption to think that no one in your workplace would stumble upon your blog through common interests.
In other words, if I knew you, I'd probably know this was your blog. And, if you're known by a fairly large number of people, I think the odds that they would stumble upon your blog are not implausible.
I hope that doesn't make you want to stop blogging.
bj
PS: I really don't know you, by the way, and if I did, I would tell you that I was reading your blog.
Shame to change your name - my fave bit is the young man piece underneath...makes me smile every time. As long as I can find you though doesn't really matter.
Fiona
Why don't you keep the name but go behind password?
Just let all us "lurkers" out there know first, so we can get the password by e-mail before you "disapear" on us?
Listen Up Maggots is quite punchy, actually. Strangling on Stethoscopes would be somewhat professionally revealing although EMTs, paramedics, nurses, and all sorts of others use them. My patients tell me that I should write. They just don't get it: I'm verbally funny. It's all in the timing, the insanity of the moment. Writing, especially a blog would be way too permanently revealing. That's why I don't do it. How does a person not eventually somehow reveal something about someone that they shouldn't. Or even allude to? Then if a person is blogging there's a problem with the edit function. Either you edit while writing, (which can curtail creativity) or edit afterwads and end up with something wooden. It's a problem being in a profession. We must respect patient confidentiality. People can and do make connections based on stuff that they read on the internet.
I remain faithfully anonymous. ;)
HellBoysMama ??
Waaaaay too tired to think of a creative name suggestion on my own, although I so like LISTEN UP, MAGGOTS, esp. when written in all caps like that.
Glad to hear that HB is doing better. Why must cats pick the most inconvenient places to do their business?
I think I like Listen Up, Maggots too.
OK, I read the comments and have to concur with the Running With Scalpels or Listen Up Maggots votes.
Run, Mommy Run?
I am so sorry about work and Hellboy's sickness and all the rest. I guess I thought that when you had a job and a useful skill and some time in a career it would be glorious--or that any other professional job besides mine was glorious. I hope it gets better soon.
As for the time spent with child and child's mental state my child starts to drift in her moods when I'm away from her for one day! As a baby, this never happened and I was so smugly thinking that I never understood why women stayed home with their kids but dang, I do now--The more hours I am with her, the happier she is and the minute my work gets involving, she shifts into hell-preschooler mode. What is even more absurd is that I don't think her dad and I have a different connection with her--he is as bonded with her as I am. Which basically means that kids need BOTH PARENTS WITH THEM AT ALL TIMES to be happy. I was like "I'll be the dad and work more and he'll be the mom and be with her more" and I can't figure out why this isn't the perfect solution but she wants me around a whole, whole lot.
These are great comments, all.
I think I have a plan now -- the question is when I'll have time to implement it. Oy. I'm rounding this weekend ...
I know what you mean, ozma. Part of it, I think, is that I like my kid more now that we can have meaningful conversations. (Not love him more, but like him more.) I'm sure he picks up on this, and likes to be with ME more. That said, he clearly gets bored and irritated when I spend the day with him. He gets bored and irritated with any monotony, really.
Which is why I'm really happy to report that the transition to PreK is complete, and for the last two days he has WANTED to go to daycare. As in, "I want to go to daycare!!"
I understand completely about liking your kid more. The older my guys get the more I can joke around with them or talk about abstract concepts and the possible meaning of life.
I've told them that I love them always. There isn't anything they can do that would make me stop loving them will all of my being. BUT I don't always like them just like they don't always like me. And as they hit those teen years (pre-teens right now) there are going to be more days like that.
I've also said that if there are not days they don't like me than I'm not doing my job right! :D
I do miss the young, wanting to cuddle days though. :) We three are very affectionate still but it's different.
just wanted to delurk myself and say I love your blog.
i'm not a medical professional but love reading about docs and their lives.
I like my little one more now than I have for, well, since he was born really! He's moving on through the tantrums, he talks more, has a greater understanding of the world and has a whole load of personality. He loves having fun and I love sharing it with him.
Uh, yeah. He's 4 in August.
Good Luck with the name picking!
Love you blog (though selfishly I wish you had the time to update it more often!).
The name thing is so hard isn't it - I changed my blog name twice before settling on something, and I STILL don't really like it. However, it is a closed blog for now (and possibly forever!) so it really doesn't matter so much! I closed it for the very reasons you fear - losing anonymity. Probably completely unnecessary in my case, as I had practically zero readers anyway, but I still felt too vulnerable with it open. I keep meaning to open another more "commenty" blog, but who has the time to maintain two blogs!
Good luck, and I like Running with Scapels too.
Mary
Another vote for Running with Scapels!
Delurker here, I vote for Listen up Maggots!
Fantastic name. Hang in there with work, at some point, this too shall pass.
Box 'o Bandaids
Mileage of a Mama
Where Does it Hurt?
Open Wide
Checking Reflexes
Dilated Pupil
Running on Empty
Cranky Mama
I'll keep thinking.
(Am still running by the way; I'm quite amazed.)
I've been lurking here for about a year (posting anonymously). I even enjoy your blog so much I went back and read the old posts so I'm all caught up now. I wanted to warn you that I found your blog by googling being a mother and a doctor at the same time (and how to juggle that). Thing is, I know there are tons of female docs looking up the same thing. Seriously, you're like the first three links that pop up. If ANYONE has heard a rumor about the name of this website, they could probably find it...especially if they also google HB as well. If you do decide to change the name I like the mispelled idea...you'll have to change the spelling within your posts as well for it to work. If you go undercover (aka passworded) please give us lurkers a chance to reveal ourselves and come along. Please don't stop writing about your job. I feel like you really get it...but you can say it in a much funnier way than I can.
Running Mama, MD
?
E
I too, associate you with maggots, but I have to say that "running with scalpels" is pretty damn funny.
Since you don't utilize scapels all that often, I won't vote for that one, as much as it's a neat name.
One recent suggestion is Mamma Running, MD. Sounds good. Combines your most often talked about subjects. I wonder if Running Mamma, MD flows a little more?
Thanks for taking the time to blog...it's neat having a little insight into the medical world...and fitting the other parts of your life in.
Take care.
What about:
Evidence Based Mama
Mama's H&P
Running With Medicine
Just a few ideas. Hope I don't lose track of your blog.
Have a three year old too and not looking forward to first strep.
Evidence-Based Mamma is great! Super clever.
You can do whatever you want, just please don't go away any time soon.
i vote for listen up maggots. i definitely identify with fear of discovery in the medical profession-- it's the thing which really keeps me from diving into my blog. what approach do you take when deciding what to share? i also request that if you go underground- please give us loyal lurkers a chance to reveal ourselves and get a password. thanks for sharing. from, one mamadoc to another... hey,what about MamaDoc as a title?
How about, "Pass me the Sunscreen"?
Dani
I totally know how you feel. I was threatened with being outed by a former friend, and I went back and took away much of the stuff that made it fun to blog, anything kicky, or a little naughty, and decided never to tell some of my best stories. I looked on Alexa and my readership has dropped like three million percent in the last three months (not kidding. Three million) It's still high (my readership) but I don't want my colleagues to know about some of the stuff that made my blog really funny and interesting (sigh)
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