I think your picture is brilliant. It is especially so in conjunction with your exposition.

I was going to say I don't have an alter ego. I really am pretty much myself, except that over the years I've had to suppress expression of that self in order to 'fit in'. Your hat (my hat 😄)brought that suppression to mind. I'm a rather strange bird. Over the years I've shaved off the edges for other people in order to not seem outrageous. When I first started working at a civil service job I wore a purple felt hat to work, not at work, but to work. It caused some comment. That was me, the purple hat. As years went by, I had people try to instruct me on how to dress...no more than three colors. It took some thought.

These days, I don't pay much attention to clothes. They don't matter. But I am aware as I finish looking at your picture, that I've modified the way I present to the world. Is that an alter ego, or just compromising? I guess with clothes, who cares? But it is true that what people see outside is not me :))

You really got me thinking...I say again, a brilliant piece.