The Name Game

I have a few upcoming posts in mind, so there shouldn't be another hiatus on here (more than a day or so, anyway) until the boys and I head up to Massachusetts in two weeks. I will try to post at least a few times during our trip, but no guarantees, we're going to be very busy.

In the meanwhile, for today, Createcraft is having a contest, wherein we are supposed to explain where our blog name came from. Best story gets some nice prizes, and I don't think I've ever explained my thinking, so what the hey!

Back when I first wanted to start this blog, I wasn't at all sure that I wanted to hook my blog (which mostly contains personal meanderings) with my other on-line commentary. So I didn't want to use my usual on-line handle for commenting (I post many places as Tapetum.). So as much as I like that name (from the Latin Tapetum Lucidum, tapestry of light, meaning the iridescent layer that makes cats' eyes glow), I needed to find something else to call the blog. Blogging was a new thing for me - yet trying new things is hardly a new thing at all for me. I have more hobbies than you can shake a stick at. Over the years I've tried writing, knitting. crocheting, drawing, weaving, spinning, counted cross-stitch, latch-hooking, karate, beading, woodworking, piano, organ, biking, triathlon, and a fair few other things as well. One of my cousins calls me a skills collector with good reason. Most of these things I've pursued at least long enough to gain a reasonable level of competency, which I then try to maintain. Some I actively maintain indefinitely - karate, knitting, piano and writing are the major parts of that set. So blogging seemed to be one more hobby to begin - as I am perpetually doing.

In addition, I was reading a couple of books on Zen. (Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind was one.) The concept of a beginner's mind is important in Zen - to remember that the full mind cannot gain more knowledge because there is no room - it's like trying to pour tea into a full teacup. As many things as I keep trying to stuff into my head it's difficult to maintain the beginner's mindset, but it seems ever more important.

So I decided to name my blog The Perpetual Beginner - both in recognition of my beginning over and over again in different places, and to remind myself of the importance of being that beginner, no matter how long I've been doing something. It's been a good name for me. It seems to suit me more the longer I use it, and I've never really had a desire to change it.