If (reallife.thisis == TRUE)

This has come up more than once, from more than one person, in more than one context in the last week, so let me make this clear:

I routinely change or blur the identities and events around everyone mentioned in my blog posts. 

When I talk about things that happened to me, they’re usually not eyewitness accounts of factual events.  This is done on purpose, to protect the identities and lives of those around me.  So when I say I talked to a male friend last week at work, it could very well have really been a female acquaintance in Second Life two months ago.

The spirit of the event, conversation, or whatever will still be completely true. 

Feel free to ask any questions about this in the comments.