We have been discussing this for a while now.
I think we knew the time would come.
I’ve been taking steps in preparation – talking. Notifying. Planning. Writing up this post in my head. It’s been in my head for a long time now.
The stars aligned, the timing was right, and the time has indeed come.
Angus and Helen, as you know them, are no more.
I’d like you to meet Alastair.
My partner, my heart, the one who makes me both angriest and happiest (sometimes simultaneously, which is no mean feat), and the one who knows all my secrets.
And as for me…This isn’t easy for me, hence why it’s been months in the planning. The last wall to come down.
Hello. My real name is Shannon.
I guess we’re not strangers anymore.
-H/S
So courageous…
:-)
Lily (not my given name)
hi H… I mean S… now no more chances of making a mistake (though a small part of you will always be H in my mind :))
bises!
This is quite a surprise. You’ll always be Helen to me, though. (However, you do look much more like a Shannon than a Helen)
Any particular reason for the reveal?
Whoa. Thought you two broke up for a minute!! So glad that is not the case :)
Hi! Thank you for sharing with us. I may not always comment, but I read without fail. Your post on forgiveness has stuck with me like you wouldn’t believe.
p.s. your names totally fit you!
Pleased to meet you!
Nice to meet you! Love your names… although Helen was easy for me to remember, it is my mom’s name. :) Sue (for real)
Congratulations on coming out of the blogging closet! I know it can be scary. I’ve been slowly switching over to using my real name after being burned in the past. (As you can see, I’m not quite ALL the way there.) There are still times when I cringe seeing my name all over the Internet. Good luck to you on this big step! I hope you’re able to keep blogging as openly and honestly as you have in the past.
I have to admit I was never a big fan of the name Helen anyway – I had a crazy great aunt named Helen (she was married to my great uncle who, concidently, is still alive but very badly deteriorated). They used to bring their dog Digit EVERYWHERE (and I do mean everywhere) and had no kids and were just … kooky. So I’m glad you aren’t Helen anymore .. Shannon is much better. :-). And, of course like everyone else I’m curious to know the reveal.
I’m not from Wisconsin but I’m from Minnesota, is that close eonough? We think we are much more hip than Wisconsin anyway. :-)
Well- there now . . . that was quite a shock. But lovely names both . . . And as Facebook has allowed you to learn my real name . . . ahem . . . Cindy . . . ahem . . . welcome to the world of the no-longer completely anonymous!
I’ll stay incog on my blog though ;)
I’m curious as to what prompted this outing, but happy for you that you finally felt comfortable enough to take this step! And a little annoyed that I now have “I’m Coming Out” stuck in my head on endless repeat. Hopefully, just writing that will pass it from my brain to someone else. :)
I found your blog in 2005 when I had moved to LA instead of London as I had wanted to…I was searching for expat blogs for comfort in knowing that others had done what I hadn’t (yet). After reading for so long – it’s very cool, and somehow relieving (not sure why) to now know your real names. To feel like you’ve trusted me/us with this particular detail. Thanks for all you share and work through here. It’s a great space. And I’m glad you are in the world.
I found your blog in 2005 when I had moved to LA instead of London as I had wanted to…I was searching for expat blogs for comfort in knowing that others had done what I hadn’t (yet). After reading for so long – it’s very cool, and somehow relieving (not sure why) to now know your real names. To feel like you’ve trusted me/us with this particular detail. Thanks for all you share and work through here. It’s a great space. And I’m glad you are in the world.
Nice to meet you, I’m Elizabeth. I’ve been following your blog for about a year now.
I can honestly say that I never really wondered what your name was. But I did wonder about Angus, uh Alastair. I don’t know why, I just did. I just enjoy your blog.
I seldom comment, but read daily. It’s nice to put (real) names to faces–so, thank you! I’m curious, too, why you decided to tell. BTW, I’ve always liked my name (Patricia) but detest my nickname (Patsy)…and I’m much further south than Wisconsin.
Nice to finally meet you Shannon!
I actually saw both of your names, once, on flickr picture…that (I think) was quickly removed. It was right after your engagement…but you were always upfront with the pseudonym and I figured that if (ever) you really wanted us to know your name, you’d be forthcoming. I can’t explain why I like this so much….I do though.
I believe you already know this, but my name is Natalie.
Nice to meet you! Oh, and how did the pork chop casserole turn out?
That is too strange! I would have never imagined you two with either of those names, how do you yell ALASTAIR and have it roll off your tongue? LOL
Sorry, I know too many Shannons.
Can you stay Helen to make my mental cataloguing easier?
(Kidding!)
Funny, I knew your name, but I always assumed that Angus was his real name – not sure why, but it never occurred to me. So are Nick and Nora not really Nick and Nora?
Curious – why now? was somebody threatening to out you?
I’m glad to have it out – now I don’t have to worry about slipping up and calling you the wrong thing. I’m still to chicken to use my real first name on my blog – maybe someday.
I love that you’re Shannon! It suits you perfectly!
My daughter is named Shannon, after her grandmother and great-grandmother, who had that as a last name. It is my favorite girl’s name!!
Still, I will have a hard time thinking of you an anything other than Helen….LOL
I figured out your name awhile ago from a couple things you mentioned on your blog – 1. that Angus thought you were Irish when he first met you, and 2. that your name is also a boy’s name. It was confirmed later by something else you posted on your blog.
I’m glad you finally felt comfortable (?) enough to reveal your names to the world. I kinda get the feeling you did it because you felt like you had to instead of wanting it to be the right time.
I have always associated the name Alastair with that kid on You Can’t Do That on Television. Although your Alastair really never looked like an Angus to me. Not Scottish enough.
I’ve known for a little while what your true first names were because as a long time (3 1/2 year reader)that only comments sporadically but reads religiously “everyday”, I’ve participated in some of your causes. I would have never given it away and as far as I am concerned the two of you will always be Helen and Angus!! Just cuz…
I never pegged you as a Shannon, Vanessa seemed like a good fit though.
Pleased to meet you both. However, there is no Mt. St.Shannon in WA, so I will still have to think of you as Helen as I drive by Mt.St.Helens on my way to work down I-5. For a short while anyway.
ps. my real name is still J.M. (John)
pps.
omg…see what you have gone and done?
Henry Gross is whining in my head..
“Shannon is goooone I heard, she’s drifftiing out to sea!!!” Arrrrgh!
Beautiful Irish-Scottish mix of names you both have, and did you know that your name has its origin in the name of the Irish river goddess?
See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Shannon
and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastair
You said, “I guess we’re not strangers anymore.”
Does that mean you’re going to change the blog to “Everyday Friend” or “Everyday Acquaintance”? :)
You’ve shared so many of your thoughts over the years, would you share what brought this decision about? I’d love to hear it, and I’m sure many others would too. But if you’d rather not, I understand.
I also hope this means you might get published soon! Very nice to meet you both, Shannon and Alastair, and thanks for sharing.
Wow! What a shocker! Couldn’t read and run today, just couldn’t.
Never thought you would reveal your real names and felt we had no business to know – I just thought it was privilege enough that you share so much already. Had you down as an Ashleigh but much prefer Shannon, it suits you perfectly. Just hope the decision to out yourself wasn’t because someone forced you into a corner..
Nice to meet you both!
Wow. So would not have thought that was your name. I guess I expected something way more austere/patrician/serious. I hope you don’t take that the wrong way. His name is my 2nd favorite English name, next to Onslow. Love getting to peek behind the proverbial curtain. If you feel like being totally bored, friend me on Facebook – Beth Solloway (North Jersey – since there is apparently more than one of me.) My page is private since I don’t want my students to find me.
oh my gosh! how crazy! its hard to think of you with any other names though! However both good, solid names.. how funny! Thanks for revealing!
You wrote me a thank you once (I probably still have it here somewhere ‘cuz I was so surprised and touched to receive it from all the way ‘across the pond’) and you signed it ‘S’. And it completely perplexed me – thinking to myself ‘what is her name? Sue? Sara? Sylvia? Samantha?…
And now I know…and I never would have thought of ‘Shannon’. Which is a beautiful name. And so is Alastair.
Now, I ask this: will you ever reveal Nora and Nick’s true names? I realized in a post a long time ago – with a punch in the stomach kind of feeling – that they weren’t REALLY Nick and Nora. And since they feel like kids I really KNOW, it bothers me so much to not know their true name. I completely understand why you aren’t sharing them and probably won’t – but oh, how I wish you would. I just need to know’ the real ‘family’.
Hugs to you all…I love the blog, love all of you and read daily.
Mindy in Tracy, CA USA
Hello Alistar and Shannon! Ummmm…I have to say I really didn’t think you’d ever reveal your real names! You definitely don’t seem like a Shannon, maybe a Susan? Alistar, too doesn’t seem like an Alistar! So, to me, you’ll remain Helen & Angus! Though it is nice to know your real names!
OH my….What crazy news. Your are still Helen to me. I have been reading you for over 5 years so yeah it will take me a while to get used to Shannon.
How freakin’ cute are you? Love your writing.
I missed the big outing. Glad that you feel comfortable with us to give up your secret.
You’re gutstier than I am. While you- and a few others- know my name, I’m not willing to share it with the whole world.
Unrelated: your smile gets prettier every day. Great picture.
Holy crap I missed it. I missed the day you “came out” so to speak. It was such a crappy week I haven’t had time to check and I missed it.
Although I’m not shocked with his real name I would have never guessed Shannon as your first name. It’s fitting and beautiful!
Unfortunately my real name is Heidi and wouldn’t know how to hide it even if I tried.
Well goodbye Helen and Angus and hello Alister and Shannon — it’s nice to meet you…finally!
I’ve known your name was Shannon for ages – I think since the kitten came to live with you, but I’ve only known Alastairs for a little while, since the Children in Need thing, I think. You’ve been Shannon (to me) for ages, but I still think of Alastair as Angus :)
Pleased to meet you, Shannon. I’m Bernadette.
There’s actually a couple of reasons why I sign with the initial. The first one is that, online, I’m often mistaken for a guy (no joke), so I like to see how long it takes people to figure it out.
The second is that it’s so very long and I just KNOW I’d misspell it at some point.