His voice/brand is remarkably similar in both streams (curious, generous, excited, sarcastic), and I think he's pretty true to his personality in any case.

But deciding what should go where, and how to make those choices, that's a dilemma most content providers face eventually.

In my case the answer to both is no but your post made me realize the reason I am who I am on Twitter is not simply to shield clients from my online rantings but to shield my stream from my work. I am primarily an Accidental Bodily Injury Claims Examiner. I could use Twitter to help people understand better what I do so they would not malign those in my profession as much as they do but my field is not something they want to know about. I am used to compartmentalizing who I am out of necessity. When I pull up all the sympathy, empathy and tact I possess to speak with the mother of three kids whose husband just suffered an auto accident so horrific his head is in the wheel well of another car that is draining but not something anyone else wants to hear about. Conversely, no one who knows Pecan would ever think she has those attributes. If I did not separate what I do from who I am, I would not be able to do what I do so well or for long. Pecan makes people happy and does all those other things I can't do in my career thus giving me the outlet I need to keep doing what I do. Not knowing she is there gives my clients the comfort of only seeing my official, competent, serious self. I often wish I could show the whole of who I am to all but in my line of work they want a serious, logical, unemotional machine and that is what I give them. On Twitter people see enough of the serious and unemotional from other sources so they don't need it from me.

It's interesting to see the balance of comments from people who were aware of the interrelation of @gradontripp and @designboston, and those who had no idea. This leads me to believe that perhaps the separation has been too sharp. I think there's room for you to infuse more of your design interests in your @gradontripp stream, as well as there is for you to get more personal with @designboston. I see your @designboston account as your version of @broganmedia, made complete by true engagement with the design-focused community that shares your passion. While you're engaging, make it clear who you are and how the rest of you influences those passions. And rather than simply retweeting @designboston from @gradontripp, add some personal context so folks know what and why you're sharing from that other side.

In the end, I think the separation is as good for you to manage your content as it is for your followers to consume it. It allows you to maintain some focus in how you share, and gives followers a choice in what side or sides of you they want to get to know.

I have some personal experience here, since I run several other accounts for good blogs, nonprofits and a corporate media entity. I focus the @ITcompliance account on regulatory compliance as it affects IT operations — and very little else. Cybersecurity, data breaches, cyberlaw — but none of the other things I might share on @digiphile. That's worked well, in terms of how that account has been listed. As you know, I share stories from that account into my own stream on occasion, at the rate of 1 to 10 or ever 20 for others' content. Seems to have been welcome and effective.

I'd say definitely bring in some design focus but keep it in balance with the rest of your life. There's plenty more to Gradon I want to hear about than Scandinavian ottomans, after all.

Meg has a good point – you could certainly try combining for a while. But then how do you convince all the followers to move over to one account or the other? Another option would be to periodically let people know that you are also @designboston, and from @designboston let them know you are @gradontripp. That way, people can make their own decision to follow both if they want. I can't remember that you've ever mentioned that, and it seems @Ultranurd's experience backs that up. If you're interested, you can talk to @karelvredenburg who also tweets as @ibmdesign – he regularly tweets from one account that he is also the other, so you can ask him about his experience.