MMR: Alias

Everyone should have at least one alias. A good one. One they know like the back of their hand and can whip it out whenever needed.

I have 2 aliases. The first is Steve Johnson, an investment banker from Chicago. The other is Josh Barfield, a minor league baseball catcher from San Bernardino. I'm also referred to sometimes as PQ or just Q, and will go by either of those names when out, on occasion.

Why should you have an alias? Well, there are many good reasons.

First, when you are out meeting new people who you don't want to know your real name (maybe you are in Vegas, or at a Star Wars convention and are embarassed to be there), it's good to be able to introduce yourself fully as someone else. Steve Johnson has only been living in Chicago for the last 6 months. Before that he went to Penn State for 4 years, majoring in Economics (focus in micro), and is originally from the Bay Area (I believe Concord, but it changes). If I was in Vegas, and I met someone I felt like talking to that night, but never again, it's really conveniant to be Steve Johnson for a night.

An alias may also come in handy when you are drunk and might make some decisions or do some things that will not be looked upon kindly for in the morning. Be careful here, though, as drinking may lead to a forgetting of your alias. You need to make sure you are very well versed in your alias before using it in this case. Josh Barfield plays for the San Bernardino (Inland Empire) 66ers. The 66ers are the Single A affiliate of the LA Dodgers. I've been playing there for a year, and I'm not very good. But I'm enjoying playing baseball and getting paid for it for the time being, although I know my career won't last much longer. This is a good alias because I know a ton about baseball, and, seriously, who gives a crap about single A baseball? I can talk baseball when I'm drunk.

An alias, of course, comes in handy when you are committing a crime or in on a confidence scam. Would I rather they told the police that a "Patrick Quinn" scammed them out of 100,000 bucks, or a "Steve Johnson?" Yeah, I thought so.

Finally, sometimes it's good just to have a nickname. Nicknames add intrigue to your character. When I'm introduced as simply "Q," it's intriguing. It creates interest. I'd much rather talk to a "Q" or a "Chaz" than a "John Smith" or a "Lucas Quinn." Boring!

So, I implore everyone who reads this blog to come up with an alias. Maybe two so you can mix and match based on where you are and who you are talking to. It's a smart move, and it could save your life!