The Redefinition of Floreta Cui
AKA: Hello, my name is Janet
Janet Cui Brent (God, that’s so American). Nice to meet you! I’ve used Floreta as my pseudonym ever since I was on blogspot. I liked the idea of using my former middle name. Long story short: Floreta is my grandma’s maiden name and when my single mom married an American, for conventional reasons, she changed my name to adopt our new family, dropped Floreta and made Cui my new middle name. Because that’s how Filipinos change their names.
Floreta suited me. It holds a special place in my heart because it reminds me of lola (grandma). I liked the idea of creating a new persona for my online world. Reclaiming my lost name. Because I felt lost. I didn’t want to mix work and online together. I’ve always been deeply fearful of anyone from “real life” finding my blogs. Reading my thoughts. Once, someone from high school found my blog (an older reincarnation that no longer exists) and I freaked out. I’ve been shy. I’ve been socially awkward. And the amount of introspection and emotion I pour into my writings horrified me at the thought of people finding out. I needed Floreta to be brave. When I wrote about my personal heartaches, erotica, or poetry, I needed Floreta to stand strong.
If You Want to Be Internet Famous, You Might As Well Use Your Real Name
There came a point when I no longer needed to hide behind Floreta. Maybe the shift happened when I slowly let more and more of my “real life” friends read my blog after I left for my journey. Maybe the shift happened when some of my fellow monastery retreaters found my blog. When you have an online representation of your life, people you know will find it eventually. So if you’re planning to be internet famous, you might as well use your real name*. I don’t know if I really want to be “internet famous”, but I’m just saying.
I’ve got big plans for myself. I’m putting that out there so the Universe will know and so I feel more accountable. That’s what I do when I’m scared of something. I tell people my ideas so I’m more likely to follow through with them. Like how I told everyone that I was going to the Philippines nearly two years ago. To live with my family. Maybe go back to school. Explore my options. Travel.
People wholeheartedly encouraged me. Said it was possible. Made me feel I wasn’t crazy. Like this quarter-life crisis was normal.
These are the Little Baby Steps that make a huge difference. You feel it out. Test the waters. See how people react. You make lists of steps to take to achieve your goal(s) and then go about completing them, not necessarily in order. You think. A lot. You freak out. You think some more. You think you can’t do it, and you’re crazy, on bad days. You start to think maybe you can do it, after all, on good days. The amount of thinking that fills your brain propels you to action. You think so much you have no choice but to act. Because the amount of thinking takes up a huge chunk of your time. You don’t want it all to go to waste. And you realize it’s not a waste.
I fucking DID IT. I traveled to Asia. I was scared out of my mind before boarding that plane. But I did. I crossed international date lines and found myself in a whirling mess and confusion of India (which, by the way, is NOT the easiest country to travel to for your first solo trip). Found myself in the Philippines back home with my family. Found myself in a Buddhist temple. You adapt. You realize what scares you isn’t as scary as you thought it would be.
You realize what scares you isn’t as scary as you thought it would be.
I’m scared out of my mind. Once again. But I’m telling you, and I’m telling the Universe, so I can be accountable. A simple nudge in the right direction. Baby steps.
The other week or so, I won a free e-book called The Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself. You may be familiar with Chris from The Art of Non-Conformity. He’s kind of big.
I don’t necessarily want to be internet famous, but I want to use my online presence to build a business. And that’s it. I’ve put this off long enough, because I had this vague notion of “moving to Asia and becoming location independent” when I got here, without actually doing anything to get there. The calling is getting louder and I can’t ignore it anymore. If I want to build a career out of my web presence, it only makes sense to use my real name.
Janet Brent
Loud and proud. Future internet stalkers and boyfriends can find me now. Reclaiming my real name is empowering. Because it shows I’m ready. I’m serious. I can’t hide behind monikers and pseudonyms anymore. And when/if I get married, I’m reclaiming my middle name.
Internet: my name is Janet, and lets rock it!
*Unless you’re Perez Hilton, which works for a “personal brand” more than whatever boring name he actually has.
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26 Responses to “The Redefinition of Floreta Cui”
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Hi Janet
I rather hide behind MKL, because I’m separating my online and offline life. Blogging is just a hobby for me and the real person Nino doesn’t have any objectives to promote myself through my blog. 
But kudos to you. Now I can’t call you Floreta anymore. :”(
Ah, blogging is still my hobby!
But it’s also my passion. And I’m trying to make a living off of my passions. I want work to feel like play! Just because I want to try to promote myself through my blog doesn’t mean it’s going to be a sales blog now. I’ll still write interesting entries 
And I won’t try to sell anything. I like to write ideas for free! Aw, you can still call me Floreta if you want. Hehe. I rather like that nickname 
Good luck, Flo! I’m sure you’ll be successful in everything you venture yourself in. Your life is out of the ordinary, you do crazy things, from eating balut to shaving your head. Sometimes your life is like a Hollywood movie, even better. Keep that Kill Bill momentum and your life will never get boring. Cheers!
awww thanks for the encouragement. my life like a movie
i like that.
even if i don’t really feel like it is. hehe.
Welcome out of the closet, Janet! I think those of us who subscribe to your blog don’t really care what your label is, we just love your input into our lives ;o) Let your light continue to shine, and don’t hide it, it’s a good’un!
Thanks, Michele. That’s really encouraging
but but ‘Jan’ doesn’t sound as cool as ‘Flo’…
but whatever, go Janet go!!! xD
hehe you’re right about that. I hate Jan! And I LOVE Flo. Because it’s like Flow which reminds me of creative energy, and menstrual cycles. bwahahah. Call me Flo if you still want
I’d be honored 
i can feel the empowering vibes coming off of of this post.
i love it!
Thanks so much! It is very empowering! aaah!
Very cool – since I’ve been stalking you, I already KNEW it, though.
You are jam-packed with awesome – congrats on finding the start to so many answers, even those you may not have known you were looking for.
haha I think us narcissistic bloggers don’t mind being stalked though.
Actually a lot of my longtime dedicated readers also knew it so don’t think you’re tooo special 
Cheers to finding answers!
I was having the same thoughts like you before starting The Friendly Anarchist. I had been blogging since 2000 under different pseudonyms around the web, but at the end of last year I was like: Nah, fuck it, I’ll just use my real name so everybody knows what I’m up to. It felt a little like burning the bridges behind me, but as I didn’t want to return there anyway, it also felt right. So, best of luck buiulding you business and being the real you in this crazy internet world, Janet Floreta!
Hi Fabian,
Thanks for your comment and support. Really appreciated! It’s good to decide when to use your real name, when it feels “right”. Very liberating. I try to be as real as I can be!
“Reclaiming my real name is empowering. Because it shows I’m ready. I’m serious. I can’t hide behind monikers and pseudonyms anymore.”
ROCK ON! Can’t wait to see what you make of this.
haha yay! I can’t wait either. Not quite sure what to expect… >_<
lets make a mantra out of your name and chant it every morning.. )))
oohhh good idea! i’m my own diety/Buddha yea? i like Janet Floreta. it’s stronger!
Wahoo! Janet! I hid behind the name ‘miss. chief’ or ‘chiefy’ for a couple years and just recently made the switch to my real name as well.
So, nice to meet you. I’m Nova.
wow, Nova is your real name? I love it!
Kendall Arrington at your service, nice to meet you Janet. And yes the song does still pop into my head.
I love your name Janet!! Quite a brave venture you are entering. I loved the idea of having a pen name myself but you are being true to yourself. I admire all the things you’ve accomplished and it’s always inspiring to read your post. Continue to be brave and bold and best wishes to you : )
Hi Janet,
Yeah, I can understand the need/desire to use a pseudonym online. I used to do that a lot. But lately I’ve been using my real name more and more. Certainly I have no qualms about using my real name for my blog. I mean, my name is so common! I don’t think I can count just how many Rafael Ayalas exist today. Most of them seem to be either in Spain or Latin America. (Yes, I Googled myself.)
Anyway, Floreta is a lovely name. It’s got a nice musical ring to it. And it sounds so – floral. haha, floral and floreta…
but seriously, I hope you don’t mind if I keep calling you that.
I don’t mind at all! Go right ahead.
It was a hard decision for me to decide to ‘switch’ my name back online. I’ve grown rather attached (hehe) to Floreta. But as I mentioned before in another comment above, it seemed like the ‘right’ time. and i don’t know how to do business with a fake name.. however real i feel that it is. i’ve even considered changing my name to floreta! that’s how hard it was to decide…
I must say I do prefer Floreta! I didn’t even realise it was a pseudonym :-S
Your name is as lame as mine now haha
awww lol thanks
I guess part of the reason I decided to switch back was because my domain name which has my portfolio that I bought 5 years ago for graduating college has my real name… I want to revamp this space so I can start working on websites/design while I travel.. Didn’t want to have to buy a new domain to be Floreta
And honestly don’t know how/if I can do business with a pseudonym.. I’d really like to know if anyone can enlighten me..