man of a thousand names
It's not capitalized because it's not my name. It's my meta-name.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why?

Because it's an art project. Or a social experiment. Or my Guru told me to do it. Or because I'm an incurable attention whore. The answers aren't the only thing that changes. The names aren't the only thing that changes. We change, constantly. From having a single name arises the illusion of constance, the illusion that we are a noun instead of a verb; in terms of particle physics we are VECTORS, not LOCATIONS. We are processes, roiling and turbuling with the fireworks of firing neurons and the flux of ingested and endogenous chemicals. I change, why shouldn't my name? Is identity a fact or an act? Is it determined by me or those who interact with me? What is identity and how does our name tie in to our illusions about it? These are questions I hope to raise and explore.

2. How are you going to come up with all those names?

The real question is, will I be able to stop after only a thousand?

3. That's not really your name. Your name is what it is.

That's not really a question. Your idiocy is idiocy.

No, I am not legally changing my name. Petitioning the court to change my name legally every day would certainly be interesting, but it would be a completely different project. I am changing my name for social and artistic purposes. I change my Myspace name and my outgoing email address name every day. When introducing myself I use the name of the day. When people I know use my old name, or when people I met since this began call me by an outdated name, I gently inform or remind them of the new one. In situations where it would cause unnecessary (and not particularly entertaining) confusion or difficulty I use my constant name, but that's not cheating: It's my fucking project and I make the rules. And besides, the "real name" that most people know me by is not on my driver's license. Most people who met me before March 17, 2008 know me by my stage name, Misha Grey. The initials of my legal name are M.A.N., and "man" is short for my meta-name, "man of a thousand names."

4. Can I suggest a name? You should be "some name."

No. I'll pick the names, except in rare circumstances for special occasions. For instance, at Penguicon I had a contest to pick my name for a day.