When I was in high school (oops - might be dating myself!!) I read a book titled "Why am I afraid to tell you who I really am?" (I THINK that was the title of it). Right now, I don't really remember much of the book, except for the title. That (the title) in itself gives cause to ponder. I have been thinking of it of late. Why, you might ask? It is because for reasons that I am really not certain of, I have not been ready to reveal who I am...or who some of you already know me as. I don't know why. I want to find that book and read it again…….

Initially, when I came to mybloggers, I thought that I wanted to remain completely anonymous.....keep the veil over my head so to speak. I felt like there were things I might want to write about that I wouldn't want anyone to know they had come from me. But for the life of me....I can't think of any single thing I would write that I would want to "hide" from. I have always been one to speak my mind, in the kindest and most gentle way possible. (Ok, I'll admit that once in awhile I'm not too kind or gentle!!) Many years ago, I wrote a letter to a school. It was a lengthy, rather eye-opening letter for the members of the school board that read it. People asked me "did you sign your name?" to which I replied "HELL YES! Why wouldn't I sign my name? I am not ashamed of what I wrote and I want every single person that read it to know it had come from me."

So why would I try to be "in cognito" here? In all honesty, when I first started on the other blog, I (actually it was "we") created a phantom person....That lasted only a couple weeks. I could not keep up the charade. And I doubt that there are any of you that ever even read it. It died a quiet and peaceful death....with truly no harm and no foul. It didn't last long enough. It was not in any way "nasty" or "bad" or anything....it was just meant in a fun way. It was primarily about “listening in” rather than active participation in a blog. That sure wasn’t going to work! We moved on and created our real blogs...with our real personalities and feelings and hearts. Of course, there is some information that is not completely accurate, and there truly are people (well, okay, one particular person) out there that we would both prefer does not find us, for real or even through a blog! Nothing wrong, in my opinion, in protecting yourself from potential harm.

Bottom line.....I don't like games....not the emotional, mind-playing games. Sure, give me a cribbage board, or backgammon, pinochle or a wide variety of other entertainment games, and I am ready willing and able to jump right in. Just not in mind games. I want to say whatever I am inspired to say. And I want to “sign my name”….so to speak. So with that…I have decided that I will, in fact, tell all of you who I am…or rather how you already know me. I am “islandgirl” on the other blog site. And islandgirl was as real as could be, just as dakmom is. I figured that it was time to have a new name….as I am no longer on the island, and in view of the fact that I fleetingly thought that I would disguise myself (My gosh…what on earth came over me that day! Thank goodness I came to my senses!!) Yes….some may say that I am an island unto myself……that’s cool. So…ya wondering how I came up with dakmom? For those who know me personally (live and in person), you know the names of my kids are Dustin and Katy…..thus DustinAndKatyMom….dakmom. Quite original and creative, don’tcha think?!!!
And ya’ll will figure out who my sweetie is sooner or later! (Some of you already know!!)

I am going to publicly say thanks to all of you for helping me get the bugs worked out of my blog. I was getting so frustrated. Ya’ll were a big help and I do greatly appreciate it!

I hope that no one is offended by this blog, or by me….I’m just trying to keep it real! Just as with my islandgirl blog….I will speak from the heart, always. I look forward to continuing the great friendships I developed on the other site. You all are such wonderful people! And I’m thankful for you.