Perks is back, but with a cautionary tale about branding.

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Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower
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So, some of you noticed that I changed my screen name - after almost ten years here - from 'Perks' to 'justJM'. I did it after too many misunderstandings about my silly screen name.

I had picked the name back in 2005 (2005?!) because I was so happy to discover AW at the start of my sincere push toward becoming a writer. It seemed to me that a community like AW was one of the "perks" of this effort, particularly at this time in technology. And it has been. AW has been invaluable to me.

It never occurred to me that there would be some pale logical thread of tee-hee along the lines of Perks = perky = tits. I refused to even believe that it was a thing until about the fiftieth time it happened. Then, over the years, it just kept coming up. On occasion it even went to honestly creepy by PM and email. So, a few weeks back, it annoyed me enough to finally change the name. (Nothing creepy happened, just the the usual trajectory of the joke.)

So I went to justJM with all my fifteen-thousand-and-some posts. Then nobody knew who I was anymore. I missed me on here and I missed it more than I might have guessed. I was here, but I wasn't. My "New and Improved!" label design didn't look right on the screen and by rep point, PM, and other conversations (or lack thereof) it made a difference I didn't like.

I really do value my reputation and history here at AW. I don't like being separated from it. It's personally valuable in a way that's kind of hard to fully explain. And that's down to what Mac, (and Jenna, firstly,) AWAdmin, all the mods, all the regulars, the newcomers who stay on, and maybe even me a little, have made of it. So thank you all for that.

Basically, this thread is here so that I can link to it the next time someone makes a joke about my breasts. Believe me, if I want to talk to you about my boobs, you'll know it. I ain't subtle.
 
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Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower
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Mods (aka patient name-changers) feel free to put this where you think it best fits.

And thanks for everything. xox
 

Forbidden Snowflake

I'm quite put out.
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Oh, that's where you went.

Also, really? That thing about your screen name worries me. Would not have crossed my mind in a million years.
 

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred
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Actually, your username always made me crave coffee.
 

asroc

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When I see "Perks" I always think of Polly Perks from Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment, who's a pretty badass character.

Glad you're standing by your name.
 

robjvargas

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You're OK in my book no matter which name you operate under. :D
 

gothicangel

Toughen up.
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'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself."

- Romeo and Juliet :)
 

Channy

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Takes a one-track mind to connect Perks -> Tits. I'm in car with the coffee crew, and I don't even like caffiene.
 

Lauram6123

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I wondered what happened with your name. I never would have dreamed about the boobs thing, though. Yuck.

I agree with Chris P. I actually think seeing your posts here made me go start the coffee.

Welcome back!
 

Karen Junker

Live a little. Write a lot.
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I think it would be so awesome if we had an anti-harassment policy, so when weird stuff gets said we can report it and have it reviewed and appropriate steps taken. I would volunteer to be on any committee necessary to implement this. I mean, I know the mods have enough going on, but ffs.
 

Marian Perera

starting over
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People thought Perks meant breasts? Wow.

I always thought of you as Perks, the nice porter from The Railway Children.

- Marian, the poster formerly known as Queen of Swords
0261.gif
 
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mirandashell

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I always thought of the free or cheap stuff you can get in some jobs. 'I get loads of free postie notes. It's one of the perks of the job.'


ETA: That's not a reflection on you BTW, Perks! I'm not trying to say anything derogatory. Just what it made me thinks of the first time I saw it.
 
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Netz

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I'm with mirandashell. :)

When you changed your name, I knew you were still you because of the 'delicate #!&@*#! flower' bit under your screen name. It's when people change their avatars that I'm usually scratching my head, trying to work out if they're who I think they are. :D
 

EMaree

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I never got the coffee reference or the weird lewd one, but every time I saw your name I thought "of being a Wallflower", one of my favourite books. :) I really sorry you had to deal with creeps, that's such an awful way to behave.
 
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Marlys

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Yeah, I always thought "Wallflower," too, but I've spent far too much time working in bookstores and libraries. Just about everything reminds me of a title.

Very glad to see you've got your old name back, Perks! I was sad that people's odd reactions incited you to change it.
 

AW Admin

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Basically, this thread is here so that I can link to it the next time someone makes a joke about my breasts. Believe me, if I want to talk to you about my boobs, you'll know it. I ain't subtle.

And of course, the report post button
report.gif
works for all sorts of things—including passive-aggressive harassment in post, Rep, Visitor messages or yes, PMs.

Just as a general announcement, for the curious.
 
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AW Admin

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I think it would be so awesome if we had an anti-harassment policy, so when weird stuff gets said we can report it and have it reviewed and appropriate steps taken. I would volunteer to be on any committee necessary to implement this. I mean, I know the mods have enough going on, but ffs.

There IS an anti-harassment policy.

And multiple ways of reporting posts, ranging from the
report.gif
to PM a mod, or me, or MacAllister the owner.

All it takes is letting someone know. The moment Perks indicated she had a problem I worked with her.
 
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Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower
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I really sorry you had to deal with creeps, that's such an awful way to behave.

And of course, the rrep
report.gif
works for all sorts of things—including passive-aggressive harassment in post, Rep, Visitor messages or yes, PMs.

Just as a general announcement, for the curious.

The creepy stuff was a loooong time ago.

The mods here at AW take any sort of harassment seriously and always have.

Most all of the jokes were meant as harmless fun. It got old and I got old(er) and I didn't want to explain myself anymore. But, as it turns out, I'd rather have my board history intact than I'd rather not deal with this silliness.

There are pretty much good eggs around here. I'm definitely not down on AW over this.
 
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