WHO IS BATHROBE?

A long time ago a friend suggested I put my bio online as a way of advertising who I was. I've now decided that it's not a good idea.

1. Living in China, it's not a good idea to let ANYONE know your thoughts, unless they scrupulously toe the official line. Since there is so much about official lines in China that is fiction or worse, having a candid opinion that can be traced back to you isn't wise. I'm sure the Chinese authorities already know who I am from this website, but there's no need to keep advertising who is behind the mostly innocuous material that is up here. Living in a foreign country is good enough reason to pull your head in -- it's their country, not yours. But when that country is China, the reasons for not being too visible are multiplied 100-fold. Quite frankly, I don't feel 100% safe.

2. Working for a company, it's not a good idea to let that company know what you're doing in your spare time. If you're a corporate executive and the company finds out that you collect stamps, somehow that lowers your status in the corporate world -- unless you have a high-powered, immensely valuable collection, in which case it only goes to show that once an arse-kicker, always an arse-kicker. Harry Potter, on the other hand...

3. One day I might consider changing jobs. If I do, I don't want their HR department checking out Harry Potter or The Little Prince online.

4. Family and friends are fine, but only if I want to tell them. The Internet is far too public to splash your private hobbies and thoughts around.

So sorry, but I'm taking my bio down.