What's in a Name?

We sent in our visas on Saturday, which means by mid September we should have them, if all goes well. Which means our technical aspects to going to Oxford should finally, finally be finished. I've never dealt with more paperwork and red tape than we have this summer. Actually, it's also been the longest summer of my life, beginning in late April, and continuing to the end of September.

Avram updated his blog; you should all read it. Also, I too enjoyed Stardust a lot. Very unusual for a new movie for me. I'd even like to own it, which from my mouth is a huge admission for any movie.

Lydia loves to dance; she dances to Riverdance, The Doors (this one's very popular; she turns in circles while stomping her feet and waving her hands), people singing a snatch of a song, basically anything. Also, she bows when she thinks she's being particularly cute or clever. Which of course makes us all think that she's even more cute and clever, so it seems to work. And she's discovered pinching ones nose shut to make a more nasal sound, and does it all the time while going, "no, no, no" (as in nose, which is how she says nose, not the word no, which she says more like ne.) Today she's 18 months old, and as I reflect on the last year and a half, she's been a delight since her birth. I love being a mother; it makes up who I am, gives me meaning in my life, and provides the most fulfilling sense of self I've ever had. Also it makes me laugh. Lydia is our main entertainment in our lives. People always say children are expensive, but when you take out movies, TV, etc etc and just sit around and laugh at your child, they probably save you money.

A week after we're done with the newspaper job, we're finally feeling caught up on sleep. We actually ended up doing one extra day, Monday morning, because the Indian family's flight was delayed a lot. Although I don't intend getting a newspaper route again, I'm glad we had the opportunity now. And in retrospect, it's interesting to think about.

Now to something I've been thinking about lately; Names.

All my dear readers may think that the name, "Thora Tales" employs the best of my thinking and creative descriptions of my life. I regret to inform you that this information is decidedly not so. When I created my blog, I wanted to get to the real exciting stuff, like changing the fonts or colors on my page, and so entitled my journal the best name I could come up with in two minutes or less. All along I've intended to change the name once I opened the next chapter in my life, and the true impetus as to my starting a blog; going to England. I even had a name picked out:

My English Cottage.

I liked it; it was simple, descriptive of both where I would be, and the differences between my life there, and my life here, because of course one could not have a blog entitled, "My American Cottage." How patently ridiculous, I must say. As well, it is a quaint title, and just saying it gave me chills, thinking of living in a cottage.

Alas, I have since discovered that we will be living in a divided house, in a one bedroom flat, that I have good reason to believe was, "purpose built" (from Yarnton Manor's website). Do you know what another name for purpose built is? Ugly. Also, "My English Flat" just doesn't have the same ring to it. So I am forced to decided upon a new, appropriately representative and creative Blog title which relates to England somehow.

Thus far I've thought of,

This Other Eden, from Henry II, Act 2, Scene 1
This Blessed Spot, from the same.

Actually, the whole paragraph's pretty good;

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,--
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.

William Shakespeare, "King Richard II", Act 2 scene 1

Of course, I only want a name from something that I've read, so I'm not being falsely pretentious. And I've never read Richard II, so picking the name commits me to reading the play, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

I have read Pride and Prejudice, and as I was dinking around on quote sites, I saw this quote from Jane Austin:

I can never be in the presence of Mr. Darcy without being grieved by a thousand tender recollections.

Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen


Unfortunately, I found the context of the quote, and it turns out Mr. Wickham says this to Elizabeth about being around Mr. Darcy. Yuck. So "A Thousand Tender Recollections" are out, because I would then have to think of Mr. Wickham every time I visited my blog.

I want a name that's patently English. And from something literary. Or just clever. Any ideas? Especially if it's from something that would also be good to read. Something from the Bible could work too, although that's not English. I could call my blog, "King James" That's English. Completely.

Maybe,
A Year in England
Rain and Sun in the Land of Shakespeare. Nah, too pretentious. And it sounds like a nature blog.
Tea and Crumpets, while very nice, is taken by Aleatha's sister. but let me take the time here to compliment her on her 'zine name.
Bubbles and Squeak, while also quintessential British food, just doesn't have the same ring to it. Neither does, "Bangers and Mash."
That reminded me; I love the word quintessential. Also, quintessence. and quirky. For that matter, quern tickles my ear. Perhaps, the Quirky Quintessence of an English Quern.
No, too...alliterative. Next I'm going to try really bad meter.

This all began because I vaguely remembered a quote from Hamlet that was illuminated in calligraphy and hung on a wall in the JKHB. Something that mentioned the quintessence of man; what a great line, right. I could name a blog, "The Quintessence of Man."

When I looked the quote up, what it actually said, instead of my vaguely remembered quote was,

"What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving, how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension, how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me; no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so."

--From Hamlet (II, ii, 115-117)

Nope, "Quintessence of Dust" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Maybe, "The Quintessential Life."
or, "The Quintessence of England."
"Quintessential England"
"The Quintessence of the Fifth Element" I like it.

Ok, I'm going to end this blog, before I get really inane. Save a drowning fellow friend.