Sometimes an unusual social media handle means nothing, sometimes it means everything.
Take xxsjc for example. It’s a mouthful, it does not roll off the tongue easily and it makes no sense, but it has been my handle since the early days of Twitter. You know, back when people actually talked to each other, before Twitter became a fire hose of self promotion. It is an amalgamation of a person who introduced me to Twitter and my own initials. It is also a nod to the scantily clad women that I used to photograph. But over the years it has taken on a larger and deeper meaning for me.
You see I am not a nice person. I know I look like one and I act like one…most of the time. But deep-down, and in my not so distant past, you will find many examples of the mean s.o.b. that I really am. My kids like to call those times when I really get pissed off as “when the masks slip”. My daughters current boyfriend is scared to death of me and honestly most of my current friends had to take a real leap of faith to embark on the road to friendship with me.
xxsjc is a play on the more common “xo” used in conjunction with a signature when conversing with a good friend or a loved one. For me using the xx before my name is a reminder to play nice with others, to spread good will and to leave this community a better place than how I found it. Playing with toys has been very good for me and helps me to be the person I want to be. I know I will have achieved my goal when the person behind the mask and the mask become one.
~ xxsjc
Does your Instagram / social media name have any special meaning?
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Image by @BigToyPoo
Well mine (rek760) does it. Rek was the name I used to do graffiti for over a decade but the internet is world wide and I’m sure there are many more Reks out there so I added my area code. Although I no longer do graffiti I still need to feed my artistic needs so I got into toy photography. Although my work is very amateur I find it very fun.
Randy thanks for sharing your backstory. Why did you stop being a graffiti artist? Are you going to come back to IG? I notice you haven’t been active much. 🙁 I understand the need to find a creative outlet… life can be soul sucking sometimes.
Well I stopped doing graffiti because I have 4 kids now and can’t really be getting in trouble with the law anymore. I have really been meaning to make it back to Instagram but have been so busy and working all the time. I shall return soon though.
That is really interesting, Shelly! I had no idea, though you do have a rather distinctive and ornery-looking sig fig that I’m tempted to photograph in the mouth of a skeletal dinosaur. Having met you in person, I can say you’re nicer than you claim to be, and I appreciate your self-awareness and honesty because I know so many women who claim to be nice but stab you in the back as soon as you start to believe it.