Back when I created my LJ, I chose 
mendel as a username
because mendel was deleted-and-purged. I didn't realize
at the time that I could rename
to a deleted-and-purged username, and now it's sitting there tempting
me to do so now.
Background: I've used "mendel" on IRC for about eight years now. I started using "wlonkly" as my alternate nickname on IRC after Mark-Jason Dominus was talking about "wlonk" on IRC one night, but it's rare that I use it for any long period of time. It's also my AIM/YIM/MSN username, but that's because it was available on all of them.
So in short, the advantage of mendel is that it's what I
use on IRC, and the advantage of mendel is that it's a lot
more unique
than "mendel" is and it's what I'm already known as here on LJ, both in
my own journal and in the support area.
So...
Do I strike you more as a 'wlonkly' or a 'mendel'?
Why?
What should I do about the sort-of-available "mendel" account?
Doesn't seem like that guy hung on to the journal for long so if you grab it, the chances of mistaken identity are low. Except that
Have you considered going by 'wlonkly' everywhere? You'd never have this problem again.
Oh, and I added you to my friends list, just so yaknow. Woot.