To me the value is in not having to spell it. When I say @gmail.com no one ever typos that half.

With your own domain, you can shorten the part before the '@'. You could call it "forename@lastname.com" instead of "forename.lastname@gmail.com".

Only if nobody got lastname.com first. My last name is squatted, and the leech will sell it for "only $2995". I later discovered I could get the "lastna.me", but that's prone to be mistyped as well.

My "firstname.com" and "first.in" (shorter version of my first-name and that is name I am actually known by pretty much everywhere) are both squatted by a lawyer and it is being renewed every year since last 10+ years. It's not being used. Not at all.

I tried to contact them but the contact email (Hotmail) probably doesn't exist or expired as my emails bounced off. I tried to contact the registrar but didn't receive any email from them either.

I am thinking of going for firstname.net. I am not sure whether it's better than my already registered "first.im".

Note: first as in if "firstname " is Michelangelo then " first" is Michel.

So register something else that's short and memorable. It doesn't have to be your name.