CHANGING A NAME

I am not changing my name but I am planning to change the name of my blog.  For 12 years it has had the inauspicious and generic title, BLOG. Each Blog has its own title specific to the topic.  It went from being hosted on Blogspot to become a page on my web site managed by GoDaddy and WordPress.  I refer to the BLOG as a post, and for now it will stay where it is unless I jettison the remainder of the web site and keep the BLOG as a stand alone publication.

In one exercise, trying out some possible new names, I had a short brainstorming session and asked for some feedback and additional suggestions from a couple of friends and my office partner/wife.  Then I thought, how about asking a few of my regular readers and subscribers to see what they might offer up for consideration?  So, dear reader, if you know anything about who I am, what I do and what kind of content emerges from this source, might you suggest a new name or title for this publication?  It’s not like naming a new baby, well, maybe a little bit but really, it’s an older child looking for a new name, one that is more descriptive and defining of its identity, a coming of age perhaps.

It’s possible to look through the archives to see if there are some emerging themes that could offer a clue.  I know I have written often about change, especially as it’s related to learning.  After a 60+ year career, mostly in helping people to learn, grow and change, I have some small advantage of knowing what works and what doesn’t with people and organizations.

As you might expect, it’s a process, not flipping the switch.  It might be easier to just pick a name for this BLOG and not go through a process but I come down on the side of being thoughtful and comprehensive as well as inclusive and diverse.  Words matter.

At one point, I thought of just changing one letter and going from BLOG to BLOB and that morphed into a number of one-word titles, like POST or POSTCARD.  Other one-word suggestions were OBSERVED, NOTED, NOTES and NOTING. The latter seemed a bit close to NOTHING.  What I am aiming for is a name that invites and welcomes readers, a name that fits, that is appealing and easy to remember.  Catchy, perhaps? One that catches your attention?

Saturday Morning Post emerged as a long shot, a takeoff from the name of the fabled Saturday Evening Post. I am editing this on Saturday morning, thus of the moment. There’s a name, “Of The Moment.”   I don’t sell anything, there are no ads and I am not interested in monetizing the blog. I write mostly for myself to express and share thoughts and experiences that some folks find interesting, engaging, and at times, helpful. One reader suggested “Musings.” Occasionally I post a blog from being on the road in some remote location as if I am not already remote where I am most of the time.  That is a small, semi-rural village in southern Arizona between two mountain ranges about 20 miles north of the border of Mexico.  I could go on with that and write about the pluses and minuses of Tubac, more of the former than the latter.  How we choose where we live is influenced by different preferences for different people.  One name that passed by was TIDINGS FROM TUBAC but it seemed too narrow and limited, so it passed on.

We may have a name chosen by the next Blog post in another week or so.  I like words and images and like to let things like this percolate awhile and see what else comes up.   I have two other writing projects on the drawing board and need to devote some time and attention to those as well. If you have a suggestion for a name change, please pass it along and I will consider.   Thanks!