On Names
I have always been a believer in the importance of a name. What we call things reflects how we interact with them. I used this principle when choosing my chosen name, picking something I believed fit my personality and my values. A username however is different. A username is not just a reflection of who you are, but a key part of shaping the way people respond to you online. A username can shape the gender people assign to you, but it can also impart a lot of personality that a first name can not. This is because a username is expected to be creative, whereas a name is meant to simply represent a person. This isn’t to say a username is more important but to say that it has different affordances than a real name.
The Clockwork
I have always been fascinated by complex systems. The computer, the cell, human bodies, the list goes on. There is something endlessly fascinating about a bunch of lesser parts working together in order. And nothing summarizes this feeling for me more than clockwork. I love listening to the gears tick and watching them move on the pocketwatch my brother bought for me is so relaxing. It calls to mind a regimented, meticulous person(despite the number of spelling and grammatical errors this blog will no doubt contain), who enjoys fine details which is how I like people to think of me. Therefore, the Clockwork part of the name felt perfectly natural. In addition, while I often struggle to identify body sensations like muscle pain or hunger, visualizing myself as made of gears makes them easier to identify, which makes my affinity for the term even stronger.
The Critter
When we think of a human a lot of things come to mind. Jobs, school, marriage, and a plethora of other assorted societal expectations for what one is supposed to do. So while I am physically a human, I like to use the word critter to detach myself from them when making decisions about what I should do. That way even when I make these decisions it is more likely that I am doing what I think is best rather than following precedent. In addition, critter is an endearing and friendly sounding word which is the energy I try to bring into my interactions with people whose company I enjoy.