The 10,000 lives of my namesake

I'm sure that any of you have 'googled' yourself at some point in time. Given my current (and previous) role in the world, it is inevitable that I will show up on a google list. So instead of the narcissistic method of auto-googling, I thought I would google my alternate realities. Thus, I went to google my full name and sought the 'images' that it produced. Happily, I discovered that not only do I exist in multiple academic environments, but I also function in the role as a pageant queen, and movie star. On straight up names, I come up on page 5 of on a basic google (e.g. somewhere around #25-30). But this is why I don't use the full name.

I am inclined to only briefly mention this idea of 10,000 lives, hatched in a former life, where in you recognize that at each step in your life path, a thousand choices are made and your life continues on the new path--leaving behind 10,000 other options. Such alternative lives are easily recovered via google. Herein lies the tale of my other lives, numbers 1-10

1. The MIT professor: received her undergraduate degree from Harvard College in Russian History and Literature in 1980, and her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in Russian and Soviet History in 1991.

Clearly this was influenced by my first viewing of Dr. Zhivago and the fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequent dissolution of the USSR. *oddly enough this happened after my ph.d of 1991*

2. The starlet: most recent appearance, Numb3rs , "Bettor or Worse". And, apparently, also had a spot on the "Sopranos" and "CSI" as a coroner's assistant. Should you want to see revealing photos, these also appear on line. I look a bit more Italian here.

3. Is really someone with my name after "Mary" so that really doesn't count. The good news here is that the first three are then repeated in the top 8 google hits, thereby making my officical current self effectively number

4. Lecturer at Exeter. This one is the most frighteningly similar to my own self: Role: Reader in Early Childhood Education. Research interests: Progression and continuity in play (focusing on children's learning, curriculum, pedagogy).Play and pedagogy in early childhood settings.
WHOA!

5. Sadly, self #5 is dead.

• BIRTH: ABT 1645, Dorchester, Suffolk, MA
• DEATH: 26 Jun 1682, Medfield, Norfolk, MA
  

Interestingly enough, this is not entirely unlikely a relative! Given the names and relative location, timing and relations, this is potentially a cousin. Cool, eh?

6. Academic self #3 biologist:
Doctor of Philosophy, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

The good news on this one is that I appear to be still on the interdisciplinary route. And, it would seem based on the images that more of me than not has long hair.

7. I am the namesake of a science writing award.

8. A tennis player.

9. Author of Mormon stories.

10. Author of a blog based somewhere out west, with a clear advocacy streak (and long hair). Perhaps I will add her to my blog watch.

My formal self does not show up in my proper name until page 5. I guarantee that if you google my better known self you will have a full 8 pages of data.

Anyway. This has been particularly interesting to me. I'm thinking that I might just try to track myself down.