Via the what-a-boring-name department:
When I started blogging back in… I don’t know, 1995? Back in the days, when blogs weren’t called blogs and still had the quaint name “online diaries”, all manually created with fine hand-crafted HTML – i didn’t expect two things. First, I never realized how important blogs might become for the Internet and for the personality for lots of people. Secondly, at that time, when the Internet was about to lift off, nobody expected that stupid and silly statements you’ve made in your youth would backfire literally Ten Years After.
So what happened? Nothing, really. I killed my first blog when I started working for a big company ’cause I didn’t have the time anymore for this fulltime-job. I also had a couple of cases in my circle of friends who got layed off, got threatened and stuff because of what they wrote in their blogs. The internet wasn’t so anonymous after all, that’s the lesson we learned. I also found out that some of my most embarrassing posting in my first blog^Wdiary were still available as content in the Wayback Machine.
Even later, at a time when I was really busy, overcommitted, totally exhausted, that the whole blogging thing was some kind of relief for myself: A place where i could cry out my anger if you’re careful, not telling names, not naming products or companies. And at this time it was good. That was the time when i started my new blog at Bloglines, called “IT, Life and me“.
Today I’m blogging for other reasons; I finally became a professional in the IT-business, I’m quite confident in topic of the HPC-business, I’m an active supporter of civil-rights and engaged in the Open Source movement. Stuff I’d like to share with you.
Long story short: The title of this blog bored the hell out of me and it became embarrassing but I couldn’t find another decent title which isn’t to bold or exaggerated. I’m playing a game called Munchkin and I remember one card name “Deck of too many things” (quite a useful card!). That’s how I ended up with this new title.
January 23th, Alexander W. Janßen.
P.S.: And, if you’re from NRW in Germany and enjoy playing Munchkin, drop me a line.
Blog of too many things 
Hey Alex, quite interesting stuff! Have you considered telling this story of backfiring personal opinions in your old blog more in detail ? I for one would read be happy to read it.
Cheers,
T.
He T, no, not really, for I’m still doing business with the (not) abovementioned companies. I might do that later when the mentioned companies start to understand blogging as an option, not as a threat. Not every company is as open as Google or maybe SUN – yet. Even the most boring every-day business details might be considered as a corporate secret, and that can get you into serious trouble.
In times where companies are using every little detail as an excuse to lay off staff, you’re on thin ice. And honestly, I don’t even trust my very own employer…
Cheers, Alex.