About changing that apple photo and the blog URL
[BUMPED UP]
Yesterday I mentioned that “at some point I may change my apple photo, too.”
A number of people responded with some version of “No!” “Don’t ditch the apple!” “It’s your brand!”
But I said I may change the apple photo. In other words, I may change the photo but it will remain an apple photo. I’m not planning to change the apple photo into a non-apple photo.
I know it’s my brand. I just thought I’d update it.
Sort of like the change of blog name. When I first announced that I was changing the URL and site of the blog, I explained my reasons, which basically boil down to two. The first is that the design of the old blog was outdated. It wasn’t good on smartphones; no one was reading blogs on phones yet when I had set up neoneocon. It had a design so Byzantine and cloaked that I could not change anything on it, and so it was practically frozen in time in terms of its basic structure and even many of its details. The theme (that’s the basic design) had long been abandoned by its creator, who seemed to have gone incommunicado. I feared that at any moment the blog could stop functioning, and I wanted to make a change before that happened.
The second reason was that the URL didn’t really fit anymore. I originally chose “neoneocon” (in 2004) because it was sort of catchy and sort of funny, and I didn’t expect to be a serious long-term blogger anyway. My political change was quite new, and I was using the term “neocon” mostly in its original sense of “a new conservative.” I was a really new new conservative—thus, a neo-neocon.
That was nearly a decade and a half ago.
I also chose the term “neocon” to mean I favored the spread of liberal democracy with protection of human rights.” Not “one vote, one person, one time” democracy. Not by military means, unless there was a compelling other defensive reason to go to war. I explained all of this in post after post (in the category “neocons” on the right sidebar), but people continued to misunderstand, and as the years went on “neocon” became more and more entrenched as a word for “whatever we hate” on both sides.
So the combination of all of that, but mostly the fact that I was now an old conservative (without being a paleocon) rather than a new conservative, made me think I really needed to make a switch. I wanted to keep the “neo,” because that’s how I’m known. I tried to buy “neoneo.com” and “neosquared.com” and a host of other URLs that seemed good to me, but they were not available, and so I settled on this one, and I think it makes sense because I am the new neo and this is the new neo site.
So why change the photo? Well, it’s really outdated, too. That picture that was up in the right corner, and down below if you were looking at a cellphone, was taken in September of 2006. It’s a selfie (although that word didn’t exist then, as far as I know) taken with a crummy camera that I had set on a shelf, and with a timer. It was blurry to begin with, and then I zoomed in on it to get the closeup and the blurriness became even more apparent. But it was the best I had and I rather liked it.
To be blunt about it, I was also a lot younger then. You do the math; it’s easy. As time went by it started to bug me that it was such an ancient photo and just didn’t seem to express where I’m at right now anymore than “neoneocon” expressed it. About two years ago, for example, I had stopped dyeing my hair its original near-black. Now it’s silver—hey, they say that’s very trendy, you know. I actually rather like it, but it sure doesn’t look the same as the blog photo, nor do I.
And cameras are hi-def now, just in time to keep up with the aging process.
So I set out to recreate the pose of the photo with the apple. Did you ever try to copy the angle at which you held something in an old photo, the expression on your face (in a closeup yet, after the passage of twelve years), the sweater you were wearing?
Yea! Look forward to the neo-photo (with the apple, of course).
But will it be the same variety of apple? We will see. I like the new format, it’s easier for older eyes.
Boss, so far every upgrade has been right on the money. I trust a new photo will achieve the same stellar result.
And as an added bonus…unlike my selfies from 12 years ago, you still have pretty much the same amount of hair as you did then. 😉
I applaud your decision to up date the photo. Accepting the aging process and embracing the grey hairs is a good thing. I suggest a red apple to highlight the newneo hair.
Why not wear a hat? A big straw hat? A baseball cap with NEO on it? A Deerstalker on sideways?
I am anxious to see the new photo. I have always loved apples. As to silver hair, fuzzy focus etc., you are a beautiful person (that is based on a steely-eyed analysis of your years of posts, your reaction to the rough-and-tumble of replies and your grace in handling “interesting” visitors to your salon) so I am assured — New Neo, Old Neo, Neo Neo — that everything will be picture perfect.
Ralph Kinney Bennett:
Thanks for the vote of confidence!
There’s this:
Subtlety thy name is Neo. We all missed it.
1.
My driver license has been renewed by mail twice. So, the photograph is from at least 15 years ago. Recently, in passing through the (ridiculously difficult-as in practically having to undress AND empty out my briefcase) security to get into the federal courthouse in my district, the security officer called out to his supervisor, “We got a another white-haired guy trying to sneak through with the photo-ID of some young guy with dark hair.”
2. Please include the html tag hints that were in the comments section of neoneocon.com.
Ira:
That’s funny.
As for #2, I’ll try to do that, but it might be a job for the web developer. I think that’s something deep in the theme, but I’ll take a look when I have a chance.
Neo,
If you take a bite out of the apple in your new picture, you might be worth a trillion.
Anyway, I like the site, even though I don’t have a smartphone. You did good.
Apples are good. I like apples. But I could point out that there is a lot more potential there. I mean… like: Apple Pie, Apple Strudel, Apple Crisp, Apple Cobbler, Apple Cider, Baked Apples…
Just sayin’…
As a Matrix fan I think the black leather coat, with sunglasses and an apple would be neo like (you did after all take the red pill and came over to the dark side) 🙂
Need a photo with a banana that says, “This is an apple.”
I’ve run into outdated themes leaving one stranded. Thanks for the repeat of the explanation of what Neocon meant then and now. I have more than a little Neocon DNA in my political history too, but the uncritical optimism of some Neocons leading into the Iraq war struck me as over the top at the time. I was visiting DC just after the anthrax attacks and even met a pastor of one of the victims, but the the thing that completely left me gob smacked was the proposal I heard through friends in the bureaucracy was that some of their kind were gearing up to uplift and civilise the Iraqis by bringing the American Zipcode to system to Iraq. Oh almost forgot – I’m guessing the apple will still be a Granny Smith or similar although a Red one would be high in political ambiguity. Only her hairdresser knows! To date myself.
Missing the umbrella. I’ve always loved your Magritte reference. Keep the toe shoes, too.
To some, updating a photo such as yours can be easy peasy or a major life changing event. My wife and I look at some of our women friends where it’s obvious to see the battle going on as they attempt in every way possible to wage their personal war against the aging process. The more some resist, the less natural they look. Glad to see that you are in the camp of being comfortable in your own skin.
DonKeyhoti:
Make that “trying to be comfortable.”
Also, there are a lot of outtakes 🙂 .
I just found you an hour ago. I put in “65 Project” and you were the first site I chose, even though I had never heard of NewNeo. I found the article right away that answered what 65 Project was. Then I found another article that interested me and then another. Now I want to figure out what web site I have happened upon w/such easy access and good content. So I read your Bio, then article on Neo name and then possible pic change article. I figured out this may be a blog and not just a place to get info. I’ve NEVER used a blog. I just wanted to say I loved your site, it was easy to use and I will deffinately be accessing again.