OK, so as mentioned here I use the nickname "Ming", because it is the last half of my first name, and it is sort of fun, and some people call me that.

And, as I explained there, some other people started thinking it was because I wanted to be "Ming the Merciless - Ruler of the Universe". And, ok, being the ruler of the universe doesn't sound half bad, but I had something more humble in mind.

So, I thought about what would make it more down-to-earth. And, well, "Mechanic" came up. It starts with "M" as well. And a Mechanic isn't anything very glamorous. But it is somebody who fixes things, which fits with certain roles I play. And it sounds technological, which fits with some of my themes.

And, no, it has nothing to do with the movie "The Mechanic" with Charles Bronson, where he's an assassin. But it shows how the term can be used in a metaphorical sense about some kind of professional, also implying a bit of mystery.

Anyway, people seemed to latch on to it, so I kept it. "Ming the Mechanic" sounds most strange to people who've known me for a while, who can't fathom why I would use such a strange name.

Naming a blog is a bit like naming a rock band. Some weird inscrutable name might work perfectly well, even if there is not much sense to it. The "Beatles" weren't insects and they didn't spell it right, anyway. The "Smashing Pumpkins" aren't smashing any pumpkins, as far as I know.

And I must admit, I'm not really a mechanic either. Don't expect me to help you fix your car. I'm pretty hopeless in that regard. I'm a software guy. Looking under the hood of a car that doesn't run doesn't tell me anything, unless something is on fire or oil is squirting out of it or something. And that still doesn't tell me anything, other than that I need to find a garage with a real mechanic.