Possible Duplicate:
Why do we use the object instead of the subject pronoun in constructions like “stupid me”?
Is this correct:
Idealistic me decided otherwise.
Word thinks that I should use:
Idealistic I decided otherwise.
but it just doesn't sound right.
Me preceded by an adjective is a perfectly normal English construction. We say silly me, not *silly I. If we want to make that phrase the subject of a sentence, we can do so. It’s Silly me went and locked the keys inside the car and not *Silly I went and locked the keys inside the car. The OP’s example is analogous and there should be no controversy about this. The case is less clear with other personal pronouns, but I suspect that they are less likely to be preceded by adjectives anyway.
The point is that English personal pronouns remain in the state of flux that characterizes their history. As Pam Peters says in ‘The Cambridge Guide to English Usage’:
. . . the nominative / accusative distinction for English pronouns is increasingly neutralized in certain contexts . . . which suggests evolution towards a ‘common case’ (quoting Katie Wales, ‘Personal Pronouns in Present-Day English’).
I believe Rimmer is technically correct, but whether you use "Idealistic me" or "Idealistic I" is kind of secondary, they both sound awkward.
I would suggest rewording the sentence, depending on how you intend it to be read. In my opinion a much more eloquent construction would be:
Being idealistic, I decided otherwise.
Or, you could say "my idealism" instead of "Idealistic me":
My idealism caused me to decide otherwise.
You could also use "my idealistic side" to be a little more causal, like:
I was tempted to cheat, but my idealistic side kept me in line.
As Eduardo pointed out the original construction only makes sense if this is a person describing his inner character to another:
Greedy me wanted to keep the money, but idealistic me decided otherwise.
I guess it all depends on the original meaning of your words.
If you wanted to say that the idealistic part of you decided otherwise, I would say that it is correct, being "idealistic me" a reference to a subject.
If you wanted to say any other thing, well, I would dare to say it would be wrong. I just can't seem to find any other interpretation for it.
Idealistic me decided otherwise is fine. It's the same as until stupid me {did something}, for example. There'll be plenty more in Google Books - just search with a suitable word in front, like when stupid me {did something else}.
Using I would involve a totally different sentence construction...
Idealistic, I decided otherwise (with an implied "being" at the start)
...which would also be fine. But I don't think that's the phrasing OP wants (it's a bit starchy / literary / declamatory), and there's no reason he should be forced to use it.
