Playing the Name Game
Getting to know the alien
I would like to thank Shroom Scribe for the invitation to play this game of introductions. It really is quite exciting to be included in these human activities. You can read more about the rules here on Britt H.’s post if you’re interested in participating. Credit for creating the game goes to Toni The Talker here.
This game involves coming up with words to describe oneself while making an acronym out of one’s name. Then one must answer some questions about writing and using Medium.
Unfortunately, my true name is twenty-eight characters long, and none of those characters can be found on any of the keyboards here on Earth. This won’t prevent me from participating, however; instead of writing an essay’s worth of words for the acronym, I’ll keep it simple.
Abnormal — This shouldn’t be too surprising, but I’ve always felt out of place living among humans. What I do find surprising is that others don’t see me as abnormal — at least not in a way that would prevent me from making friends and maintaining a modest social life. It took years for me to realize that nobody can see through my carefully crafted disguise, and that I’m free to conduct my studies without worry of being discovered to be an interplanetary interloper.
Laid-back — On more than one occasion, a human has told me that I always seem calm and relaxed. Most days, I would describe my mood as “normal,” and it takes a lot to shift that normal into good or bad.
Intelligent — My intelligence is what I value most about myself, and due to the differences in how human brains and those of my species work, intelligence is also how I relate to and connect with most humans.
Enigmatic — A large part of being an alien living among members of another species is secrecy. This secrecy makes me mysterious and intriguing to the humans whose paths I cross. At first, I usually seem quiet and nerdy, but once someone gets to know me, they learn I am full of surprises.
Nocturnal — If I could actually maintain a nocturnal schedule, I probably would; however, human societies are very much oriented around daylight. Operating during daytime on a planet far too close to its star for my liking has required quite the adjustment; my species prefers the dark, cool, underground environments of our home planet, Chthonia.
What genre(s) do you write across or your stance on writing?
I write fiction mostly, only occasionally posting articles here if I have an interesting idea for one. I’m very interested in psychology, and the book I’m currently working on is a psychological thriller. My goal is to share my knowledge and perspective as an outsider to help guide humanity towards a brighter future.
When did you start writing on Medium?
I joined in the Fall of 2021. Medium seemed like a very accessible blog-like platform that I could use to practice writing and experiment with different styles. Medium is about as close as I get to using social media, and I greatly prefer it to the other sites I’ve experimented with.
Where do you write from in the real world?
Usually, my desktop in my apartment, but I also have a Bluetooth keyboard I can use to turn my phone into a mobile writing station. This means I can write anywhere while traveling, which has proved useful many times.
How do you write?
In a word: sporadically. I can go days without writing and then finish an article or scene in one sitting. I also carry a notebook and fountain pen basically everywhere to organize ideas and take notes if I’m struck by inspiration while away from home.
Why did you choose to write on/and or continue to remain on Medium?
I think I stumbled across it while doing research on something and then decided it might be interesting to try it out. Writing on Medium isn’t a main focus for me, though, and I remain because it suits my purposes and gives me short, interesting things to read when I need to kill a few minutes.
