What Do You Call Your Blog?
***Third Update- I encourage you to also check out :
How Many Blogs Do You Read?
A question for those who choose to answer. How did you come up with the name for your blog and why did you choose that particular name?
(Visited 37 times, 1 visits today)
marallyn ben moshe October 27, 2006 at 12:59 am
the day they bombed sbarro i started writing emails telling family and friends we were safe…i called them shalom from jerusalem…they went around the world…three were published in newspapers…i realized that finally i had a voice and was getting my message out…i know it isn’t a woohoo title, but like a comfortable pair of slippers it fits…loved reading all the posts…shabbat shalom…stay safe
Rhea October 26, 2006 at 3:40 pm
I call it The Boomer Chronicles. Why? Because I am a baby boomer, being 48 years old. And Chronicles because it was general enough that I could write about pretty much whatever I wanted to. I do try to have most of the stuff be pertinent to boomers, but definitely not everything, because I’m a Gemini — short attention span.
Pleasingwomen September 28, 2006 at 9:41 am
I call my blog pleasing women because I honestly want to make women I know happy .
Rahel June 5, 2006 at 9:12 am
I call my blog “Elms in the Yard” because there are elm trees in our yard (and all along our street). Their roots have made the path to our building all but impassable, but the branches are a great place for birdwatching in the spring.
Batya June 4, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Here are my stories about my three active blogs:
Shiloh Musings http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2006/06/why-is-this-called-shiloh-musings.html
me-ander
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/2006/06/why-is-this-called-me-ander.html
Blog Free!
http://samizdatblogfree.blogspot.com/2006/06/why-is-this-called-blog-free.html
Wanna Be Frum May 24, 2006 at 9:40 pm
I find myself floating somewhere between the yeshivish and MO communities, and find it very frustrating. this is my cry- i just wanna be frum, without the labels and sects and divisions!
Jack's Shack May 24, 2006 at 6:12 am
Just wanted to say that I am really enjoying the explanations of how and why you all came up with your blog titles.
Lady-Light May 24, 2006 at 4:55 am
I was rolling on the floor in hysterics after reading some of these comments – they are great! I wish I had something cleverer to say about my choice of name, but ‘Lady-Light’ used to be my CB handle when my husband and I drove up to the M—— from Dallas twenty-one years ago in two separate cars. It’s a partial translation of my name. It was a cool handle. None of the truckers had a clue they were talking to an Orthodox Jewish married lady with (at the time) three kids and a Dalmation.
I think we should have a Jewish Bloggers Convention in a central location and meet each other, by gum!(if we MUST).
Sheyna Galyan May 24, 2006 at 2:56 am
Maybe I should rename mine to “Late Again.”
I chose “Books and Beliefs” because I wanted to be able to talk about writing and book-related stuff (and because I started blogging with the encouragement of a writing group), but I also wanted to be able to talk about Judaism and how our beliefs define who we are and how we relate to each other and the world.
And I like alliterations.
Gail May 24, 2006 at 1:30 am
I chose Crossing the Rubicon because I felt as if I was at the point of no return when I became a blogger. I’d posted on message boards for years, but with the blog, I was striking out on my own. It felt like a very big deal at the time. The die was cast! No going back! I was going to make my byline “The point of no return” but figured I might jinx myself and get no visitors.
One nice thing about the name is that I get lots of hits from people who are trying to find out what the phrase means and where it comes from. I put a link in my sidebar to some info, and it has been used by many people from all over the world.
On one particular day, I had a slew of Aussie visitors – hundreds all at once. Turned out “Crossing the Rubicon” was a crossword puzzle clue in the Sydney Morning Herald that day.
Great post, Jack.
Scraps May 23, 2006 at 7:08 pm
I’ll quote from my first post, which explains my blog’s name:
“Often I feel confused about where I’m holding in life, where I’m going, what I want to be, who I want to be. I feel like I’m made up of so many different places and people and experiences that are all patched together like Scraps in the Oz books. I feel like I fall between the cracks in the cute little labeled “drachim”–Modern Orthodox, yeshivish, etc. I’m not really one or the other, but I feel like I have to pick something to be, or else I’ll just be wandering aimlessly for who knows how long. That’s also part of the name–“Patchwork Girl” for the crazy, mixed-up, more wild part of me; “Black and White” for, of course, the yeshivish part.”
That’s me in a nutshell…at least, it’s how I described myself about ten months ago, FWIW. 🙂
Mia May 23, 2006 at 6:57 pm
I am rather late with my comment but let´s not stop at 115.
As to my blogname…..
So much was going on in my life that I thought it would be a good reason to start a blog about my world, giving you a glimps of what is going on my world.
Bonnie B May 23, 2006 at 5:14 pm
I call it Of Socks and Men because I feel as though I spend my day mating socks and looking for my husband. “Of Mice and Men”– well I ahve “Of Socks and Men”
avromf May 22, 2006 at 2:22 pm
My blog: //Comment This Out
It is a programming reference.
See this wikipedia definition if you do not know what a comment is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comment
Many times, when programmers write code which they do not want to compile but do not want to delete altogether, one trick is to “comment out” the lines of code.
Thus, I named my blog //Comment This Out (the double slash is a one line comment in many programming languages). It is also a reference to what the function of a blog can be, that is, to comment on things.
Kiwi the Geek May 22, 2006 at 7:01 am
come over and tell me what you would do if I was your house guest.
I would lock you up so you wouldn’t be able to annoy people anymore.
Zman Biur May 22, 2006 at 6:28 am
Why Biur Chametz?
Mark May 21, 2006 at 2:27 pm
Knockin’ On The Golden Door
It’s from a Grateful Dead song – “Estimated Prophet”.
The full explanation is in my sidebar. (That should get me some hits! ;o)>)
Datingmaster, Jerusalem May 21, 2006 at 1:30 pm
People think I have always been a dating master but it has taken many years to perfect my dating skills
Bari May 19, 2006 at 10:50 pm
Bari VeShema:
3 reasons:
a) It’s kinda how a blog works. I say my piece and everyone else comments – “Maybe not!” “Sure he’s right!”
b) I was definitely posting. Jak Black wasn’t sure he’d post. So it was the Bari VeShema team.
c) The time my life was saved through mixed seating, like I posted last week, it was Bari vs. Shema and I went for the Bari, as Ezzie put it. So the ticker yet ticketh because ‘Bari Adif’.
Kate May 19, 2006 at 9:37 pm
As usual, I discover these threads a little late.
“Writing in Wax”… I would like to say that I sat there and thought, “Well, this blog is going to be about how I don’t know what I want to do in life yet, so if I were to REALLY write my plans in wax, they would be easily erased.” But, no. I wanted another word that started with a “w” for alliterative purposes. Wax just happened to fit. 🙂
This is a great idea, by the way.
K.
Rebecca May 19, 2006 at 8:13 pm
I have two: life with estee is pretty self explanatory. My daughter is Estee and it is pretty much all about her. my second blog “standing here screaming” was made because a lot of times I need to tell stories or vent frustra tions and I didn’t want to use Estee’s place for that. Standing here screaming was appropriate because often that is what I feel like doing!
Elder of Ziyon May 19, 2006 at 5:35 pm
Perhaps I should change my nickname to “thread killer.”
Oh well, I was four days late.
Elder of Ziyon May 19, 2006 at 4:43 pm
I had a number of aliases when I hung out in Yahoo Message Boards. Once I responded to a post as “Elder of Ziyon” as a joke (and someone else already had “Elder of Zion”). But soon people started calling me The Elder and even asking me for advice online (“Ask the Elder”) so it became the online nickname that stuck.
Chana May 19, 2006 at 9:48 am
Woohoo! I got 20 more profile views since my last comment! Thanks guys! LOL!!
chavaleh May 19, 2006 at 8:44 am
This is too much fun not to respond to!
While I sat around at my desk, having decided to start a blog and wondering what to call it, I happened to glance at my bookshelf for ideas. Sitting in a place of honor was Dr. Suess’s You’re Only Old Once!
Well, I’m not quite old yet, but I am in my mid-20’s. And the rest was history…
Chavaleh because I had just got back from a trip to Poland, where we all acquired shtetl nicknames, and that was mine. It just clicked.
Jack's Shack May 19, 2006 at 6:09 am
Jack, you are a Toronto name dropper, aren’t you? I know you’ve been around my neck of the woods, but you’ve dropped more Toronto references in this comments thread than I do in my blog…and I live here.
I suppose it is probably true.
Jameel,
You asked about how I came up with Random Thoughts. The answer is that I knew that I wanted to use this as a platform to talk about my life and interests and that requires a lot of latitude.
I also try not to take it all too seriously so that is where the second part of the name comes in.
torontopearl May 19, 2006 at 4:04 am
Jack, you are a Toronto name dropper, aren’t you? I know you’ve been around my neck of the woods, but you’ve dropped more Toronto references in this comments thread than I do in my blog…and I live here.
Jack's Shack May 19, 2006 at 1:17 am
100 Woohoo!
XVI (R) - NY May 19, 2006 at 1:12 am
Originally my blog went as “ketchup and ice cream.” That was in response to my adoration of ketchup and my willingness to put it on anything. I was once asked, what is the craziest thing I ever put ketchup on? I said ice cream, and it just stuck.
Thats the name I used during my silly, random, not-that-funny ranting stage of blogging. As I started realizing I might not be making it to medical school this year and my mild depressions started kicking in, coupled with my serious doubts about the religious choices I had made up until recently which only added to the depression, my posts got darker and bleaker. I changed the blog title to “Abandon All Faith Ye Who Enter,” which is what Milton claims is engraved on the gates of hell. Rather dramatic, but thats how I felt at the time.
Then I retired.
Now Im (currently, at least) back and will probably find yet another title as I get more well-adjusted to my personal changes.
The end.
P.S. And for all wondering, Xvi is just my way of spelling (T)Zvi. It comes from a misunderstood X (cross out) over a T on a name tag… long story
Chana May 19, 2006 at 1:11 am
“At 5/18/2006 9:32 AM, some other blogger with too much publicity already (haha) said…
People are using this post as acheap way to get publicity for their blogs”
Hey! I only have 87 profile views! Do I have to act like a PsychoToddler to get some attention around here??!! LOL…
Shifra May 19, 2006 at 12:52 am
“At 5/18/2006 9:32 AM, Datingmaster, Jerusalem said…
People are using this post as acheap way to get publicity for their blogs”
Spoken by the MASTER of cheap publicity himself.
The pot called, he said to tell you you’re black!
Jack's Shack May 19, 2006 at 12:44 am
come over and tell me what you would do if I was your house guest.
I’d give you a broom and a dustpan and let you sweep up, not to mention that you’d clean the windows.
Val May 18, 2006 at 10:00 pm
My original blog was val-isms.. .now it’s val-centric… guess it IS all about Val (me)!
PsychoToddler May 18, 2006 at 8:00 pm
Come on, let’s get this baby to 100!
Oleh Yahshan May 18, 2006 at 7:03 pm
I used to use the term when people asked me if I was an Oleh (I have been here 23 out of my 25 {this Saturday actually} years), then when my wife decided to call her self Olah Chadasha I figured it would be a good contrast.
Soccer Dad May 18, 2006 at 5:17 pm
Given that I know the secret identities of about 5 bloggers I feel sort of like Alfred.
Anyway when I started blogging I had 3 separate blogs (on blogger): David’s Israel Blog – focused on Israel (In my own warped way I though the initials were funny.)
Soccer Dad – was supposed to be general purpose. It was based on the irony that my children love me to coach them in their various leagues, but that I’m really an awful coach. This has become my main blog as I’ve moved to baltiblogs.
Doubting Thomas – was my blog for critiquing the vastly overrated Thomas Friedman. I think I created that blog just so I could use the name, I thought it was so clever. There hasn’t been much action on it since the Times put Thomas behind Times Select
Moze May 18, 2006 at 4:53 pm
Mozemen:
My net-name for several years, from a 1980s song (sung & written by Betty Buckley) about people from a different planet who had their priorities straight and laughed at humans who didn’t.
Blues: Hello, I live in a small town that’s been slated for destruction by the Israeli government almost from the day it was founded. And I have multiple teenagers. And I freelance. You’d be blue, too, wouldn’t you?
Datingmaster, Jerusalem May 18, 2006 at 4:32 pm
People are using this post as acheap way to get publicity for their blogs
Jack shack you are an accomplice to this scam from comment whores
ps I am still better than you with 491 comments for arecent post
Datingmaster, Jerusalem May 18, 2006 at 4:30 pm
come over and tell me what you would do if I was your house guest.
Air Time May 18, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Wrong again Jack. Ner Class of 91.
happywithhislot May 18, 2006 at 4:06 pm
I took on this monikor, because when I started i found a lot of complaining frum skeptics who wanted to get rid of halacha.
Im rational, and probably somewhat skeptical of some things, but im not complaining, Im Happy with his lot.
Ironically i now argue alot with right wing bloggers who have taken literally every thing they ever read or taught.
So i guess they see me as the complaining skeptic.
PsychoToddler May 18, 2006 at 2:13 pm
Jack, wow, look at this. A three line post is by far your most popular, maybe even moreso than Sholah Rhodes! What does that say about all your long expositions?
My superpower? I can run for 3 days without stopping. I also have a powerful gas attack that paralyzes enemies and prevents them from entering the bathroom for hours.
Shifra: something about “out of body flash back” seems appropriate to my toddler poop story.
Still Wonderin' May 18, 2006 at 2:01 pm
Where’s Krum As A Bagel?
He’s ripe for some ‘splaining
Elie May 18, 2006 at 1:25 pm
If I can join the party a bit late… First of all, as a Marvelite from way back, I have also used the super-hero / blogger analogy a few times. I guess I model myself after my favorite comic, the FF, which is why I didn’t choose to have a secret ID.
As for my blog title, “Elie’s Expositions”, aside from the basic alliteration, I had two thoughts in mind. First, I knew my posts would typically be rather expository in style, as I tend to carefully construct and repeatedly edit my writing. Also, I felt ready to expose a portion of my inner self through blogging. And there you have it.
treppenwitz May 18, 2006 at 1:03 pm
I had posted mine earlier but the blog gods (small g) seem to have smitten it. Jeez, you ever notice how smite doesn’t sound nearly so bad assed in the past tense?
Anyway, treppenwitz is a German word that has no English translation. Literally it means the Wisdom (or wit, if you like) of the stairs. It is the perfect response that only occurs to you as you are walking down the stairs on your way out of the building after an argument.
I mean, who among us hasn’t experienced that moment. in my case… my whole life seems to be made up of treppenwitz moments.
And there it is.
Jameel May 18, 2006 at 10:50 am
Jack: Without a doubt – a JIB-worthy post. (And look at all the secrets you’ve exposed)
I’ll link this to http://jblogosphere.blogspot.com
Why did you call this blog what you did? Was “DovBear” taken already?
So when and where is the JBlogger/Super-Hero convention going to take place?
ChickyBabe May 18, 2006 at 7:23 am
Good post you have here!
When I decided to blog, I was unsure of the direction I wanted to take, but being analytical, I knew I would present viewpoints and not necessarily find an answer, so Chicken or the Egg was an apt name. And then I called myslef ChickyBabe to go with my blog name.
Jack's Shack May 18, 2006 at 5:13 am
Cruisin Mom is likely speaking of the referer list on your front page Jack,
Ok, so I am a little tired and slow, or maybe just slow.
Chana,
It is kind of fun, isn’t it.
Amishav,
It is up there.
cruisin-mom May 18, 2006 at 5:09 am
thanks Saus!!!
Amishav May 18, 2006 at 4:51 am
Wow Jack- this got a boatload of comments- it that a record for you?
Chana May 18, 2006 at 4:44 am
Oh, this is fun. FrumpyChic – Major play on words.
FRUM-pyChick
Frumpy Chick (but not in a bad way – and proud of it – see:)
Frumpy Chic – Frumpy can be Chic, LOL
At first I was going to call it Chez FrumpyChic – if I’m going to be chic, my home should be Chez, right? Well, duh. Beit FrumpyChic!
saus May 18, 2006 at 4:32 am
Cruisin Mom is likely speaking of the referer list on your front page Jack,
Those little numbers represent how many little surfing clickers you have sent to Jack’s Shack from your blog C-M
: )
Jack's Shack May 18, 2006 at 4:01 am
Randi,
It is a pretty good response. I am pleased. As for the numbers I am not sure that I know what you are referring to. Could be a browser issue. I am using Firefox.
Kiwi,
Weird is as weird does. Why color inside the lines. I don’t.
Ayelet,
May Cuties sounds fine to me.
Ayelet May 18, 2006 at 3:47 am
Ugh. Sore topic. I called my blog May Cuties because May is my family name and, well, my kids are just adorable. At the time I didn’t think about going outside of my family with the blog but… Well. Now I wish I had something snazzier. Chez May?
Kiwi the Geek May 18, 2006 at 3:35 am
Speaking of calling one’s child psycho, I actually teach my child to consider such words a compliment. When somebody says her dress is pretty, she has to say thank you, and the same is true when I tell her she’s weird or crazy. Of course, I do likewise. Wouldn’t the world be boring if we weren’t weird?
cruisin-mom May 18, 2006 at 3:31 am
Jack, what a great response to a great question. By the way, what are the numbers that sometimes appear next to our names? If it’s supposed to be age, I’ll take it!
Shifra May 18, 2006 at 3:22 am
PT- I had the EXACT same experience with one of my children years ago- reading your story was like some kinda out of body flash back (or something).
My blog is “ask shifra” because I’m Shifra and people are always asking me things so why not make it the premise for my blog 😛
Jack's Shack May 18, 2006 at 3:12 am
I debate sometimes if I should change the blog name…
Not until you are dethroned. 🙂 I kind of like it.
PT,
It is a good analogy. What is your secret power? Are you blessed with amazing speed and power? Did a benevolent alien society give you a ring or are you a detective with a a darker side.
PsychoToddler May 18, 2006 at 2:29 am
Jack, I’ve likened Bloggers to superheroes on many occasions. Especially with reference to blogger meetings. We all have secret identities that we hide from the real world, people admire (or despise) us, and we’d love to pat each other on the back for our achievements, but realize that it would be so lame.
Great yet simple post idea. I’m surprised it wasn’t done before.
rabbi neil fleischmann May 18, 2006 at 2:10 am
I am the winner of Stand Up NY’s most recent competition for Funniest Rabbi In New York. I debate sometimes if I should change the blog name…
Jack's Shack May 18, 2006 at 1:15 am
AT,
I knew you were a CHAT boy. 😉
Jack's Shack May 18, 2006 at 1:04 am
I am rather enjoying this. I like the superhero analogy. In this motley group I’d say that it is a cross of Marvel and DC comic legends.
Just Passing Through May 18, 2006 at 12:06 am
Great post idea.
After pushing Air Time and Still Wondering into creating blogs, I needed the ability to be able to comment on them and Blogger wouldn’t let you comment without creating an identity. I don’t have the writing talent that they have (or most of you out ther for that matter) and figured this would be one of my phases, so I went with “Just Passing Through” – “Scratchin’ the itch. One day at a time.”
Still Wonderin' May 18, 2006 at 12:03 am
“Steg (dos iz nit der Å¡teg) said…
stillwondering:
i feel the same way!
5/17/2006 3:56 PM”
Validation! At last! I love you guys
cruisin-mom May 17, 2006 at 11:56 pm
I have a few reasons for my blog name…one of them being…I spent time cruising around the blogosphere, lurking, before I began commenting, and then eventually, blogging.
And, oh yeah, I’m a mom 😉
Yoel.Ben-Avraham May 17, 2006 at 11:53 pm
Well, my “reflective” blog, cause I’m such a slow thinker, I called “Second Thought”, like “sober second thought”.
My more personal blog is really intended as a tool for communicating with close friends & family … and leaving a little legacy of personal letters to my children. As the location from where they are written has become relatively controversial … “Letters from Shilo”.
The blogs I manage professionally are my client’s problem!
Pesach May 17, 2006 at 11:23 pm
First it was fairly straight foreward, I am a Jew in London.
Second and more importantly, not only did it have an edge, it also gives a vague/broad meaning to the title, which is exactly what my blog is about. It is not only “random thoughts”, it isn’t only politics, nor is it only humour, only it is a mixture of all and everything. For blog purposes I am just a “Jew in London”.
Steg (dos iz nit der Å¡teg) May 17, 2006 at 10:56 pm
stillwondering:
i feel the same way!
Sweettooth120 May 17, 2006 at 10:30 pm
The back side of the Hill – I use to live on that side too – Taylor/Jackson. I would just jump on one of the nearest trolley’s or bus when I got to tired to walk up another hill.
Gavriel May 17, 2006 at 10:03 pm
Paraphrased from the explanation on my site:
Well, in short, abbagav is “Abba”-“Gav”. The Abba is Hebrew for Dad. The Gav is short for my name, Gavriel. I started using this as my online, web-based moniker back when the world (wide web) was young and I was first signing up for things.
Web-based email, instant-messaging, it all required a nickname. Since we had just had our first daughter, my thought was the proud “RachelsDad”, or better yet, “RachelsAbba”. And neither of those names was taken anywhere!
Then I realized I might have more children down the road (I’m prophetic at times). Of course it wouldn’t be “fair” to the rest of my children! They would email me (when they learned to email at all) as “RachelsAbba”. So for the sake of Tamar and Miriam, I genericized. I started with AbbaGavriel but it was a little verbose and long-winded (totally inappropriate for me). So I edited that down to the punchy AbbaGav.
I’ve used it so much, some people at work actually address me as AbbaGav rather than Gavriel. Never mind the fact that I forgot the password to the original AbbaGav chat account and now have to use AbbaGav2.
BaconEating AtheistJew May 17, 2006 at 9:55 pm
I started posting on the internet, and because of all the Jew haters who would equate Jews with religion, I decided to try to bridge the gap and confuse the idiots. Atheist Jew wasn’t enough, I love bacon (which is a Kosher taboo), so I became The Bacon eating Atheist Jew.
Some Jewish posters were offended by the name at first, but I calmed them down.
Mainly because, I am not lying. This is me.
Still Wonderin' May 17, 2006 at 9:43 pm
This is So Great! Reading these comments, going down the line from one familiar name to the next, I feel like I’m at a super-hero convention with all the heros saying, “Well I’m the Green Lantern because…” and I’m, Superman because…” “And I’m the Invisible Woman because…”
Great premise for a post.
Why is my blog called “Still Wonderin’?” Because my inadequate yeshiva career and thoroughly Pareve, White Bread/Young Israel, Fifth-Generation American upbringing, despite being born and raised Orthodox in Brooklyn, constantly has me wonderin’ about Chassidishe, Yeshivishe, and otherwise religious Jewish conventions that for some reason I never noticed and never saw in my house growing up.
Over the last several years, I’ve become more actively committed to being frum and even moved to a neighborhood where being frum (but not self-righteous and judgmental) is all the rage. Still, I constantly find myself wonderin’ about minhagim I never observed, notable Jewish figures (usually european) I’ve never heard of, significant Jewish dates that were never acknowledged, and Orthodox cultural knowledge of which I am completely baffled by.
As a result, I’m Still Wonderin’ what it’s all about. Somehow, I suspect I’ll never stop.
Steg (dos iz nit der Å¡teg) May 17, 2006 at 8:58 pm
“Hall of the Goblin King” because my character in a college Live Action Role Playing game became the King of Goblins, and it makes me feel important 😉 .
Izzy May 17, 2006 at 8:45 pm
Because I’m a Yid in a technological field, who’s in love with technology for its own sake.
Joe Settler May 17, 2006 at 8:29 pm
I’m just your average Joe Settler who thought it would be good for people to hear our side of the story for a change.
Air Time May 17, 2006 at 8:23 pm
Don’t be silly Jack. I went to HIgh School in Toronto.
PsychoToddler May 17, 2006 at 8:21 pm
MO-
Just like me!
mochassid May 17, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Mochassid because I daven in a shul named after a Chassideshe Rebbe, run by my Rebbe who is also Chassidish, but I am MO at heart.
The back of the hill May 17, 2006 at 7:18 pm
At the back of the hill.
Location is everything – location, location, location.
I happen to live on the backside of Nob Hill.
And I was exhausted that day. It was the first thing that slowly, painfully, sluggishly popped into my head.
woodrow May 17, 2006 at 5:46 pm
“Conservadox” because it is accurate and anonymous.
The Hedyot May 17, 2006 at 5:41 pm
Da’as Hedyot was actually a mistake. I had recalled some gemara which contrasted Da’as Torah with another “da’as” term, and I thought it was Hedyot. Turns out it was actually “Da’as Nota”. But I only found that out after I had already established myself, so I kept it.
fluentsoul May 17, 2006 at 4:15 pm
I chose Fluentsoul because I stutter, and while I don’t think that much about my stuttering these days, my “fluent soul” would be the part of me that speaks without inhibitions, whether physical ones or otherwise. So that’s the rather obvious and hokey reason for the name of my little addition to the blogosphere.
I’ve enjoyed reading everyone else’s explanations.
cruisin-mom May 17, 2006 at 2:24 pm
Funny, I went directly to P.T.’s blog BECAUSE of the name 😉
Shoshana May 17, 2006 at 2:09 pm
I named mine Sweet Rose as a play on my name (Shoshana) and because people always tell me I’m sweet (which is funny, because I’ve heard it so often that it now gets on my nerves). Too late to change it now though.
PsychoToddler May 17, 2006 at 1:28 pm
I avoided his blog for a couple of months
You’re not the only one, Shira. Some people like to judge a book by its cover I guess.
Tafka: I LOVE that song. Oh deah.
tafka PP May 17, 2006 at 11:53 am
It wasn’t hard to choose my name- I actually am “Going Slightly Mad” slowly but surely (and it was a nod to F. Mercury as I started the blog on his yartzheit, albeit not on purpose.) My “name”, conversely, has no deep meaning whatsoever: I have a wooden parrot on my desk and I like the colour purple, and I had to come up with a name to comment on a blog one time. And thus PP was born.
Snore.
Fascinating to read all the above reasons, tho!
westbankmama May 17, 2006 at 9:59 am
Westbankblog is pretty boring, I know – but I wanted to reach people who have never heard of the terms Judea and Samaria, and give them an opportunity to see the other side of being a “settler”.
Simon Holloway May 17, 2006 at 9:30 am
I called mine “Divrei ben Abuya” (although it’s not listed on my profile). Elisha ben Abuya (aka “Akher”) is a personal Talmudic hero of mine. As an erstwhile Haredi Jew who is now working towards a PhD in Semitic languages and the Hebrew Bible, his message is one that resonates with me strongly.
Jack's Shack May 17, 2006 at 6:46 am
Wow, this starting to get pretty long. There are some great answers here.
the sabra May 17, 2006 at 6:04 am
dont ask me
(i hate questions. and i like idan raichel)
Shira Salamone May 17, 2006 at 5:16 am
Straight from my profile and sidebar:
“Once upon a time, I belonged to a left-wing egalitarian Conservative synagogue, where I was one of a number of women who wore a tallit—and one of the few members who used an Orthodox prayer book (adding the Mothers, of course). Having moved since then, I now belong to a right-wing traditional Conservative synagogue, where I’m almost always the only woman wearing a tallit—and one of the few members who adds the Mothers. I seem destined to be forever . . . on the fringe.”
There was, obviously, the extra added attraction of punning on the fact that I wear a tallit with the required four fringes. I’ve never been one to be able to resist a good pun.
On my “masthead,” I describe myself as a “perpetual misfit.” The older I get, the more I realize just how true that is.
Believe me, I had a *lot* more trouble picking a pseudonym, partly because I wanted it to sound like a real name–at that time, I wasn’t prepared either to use my real name or to make it obvious that I *wasn’t* (and still am not) using my real name–and partly because I didn’t realize just how creative and/or goofy one could be in blogger name choice if one wanted to be. By the time I’d read enough blogs to realize that there were people out there calling themselves Mis-nagid and Psychotoddler, I’d long since chosen this serious name and was stuck with it.
Speaking of PsychoToddler, one of the refreshing things about the blogosphere is that it’s not only our kids who say the craziest things. I’ve already told Mark that I avoided his blog for a couple of months because I figured, “what kind of nut case would call his own kid a psycho toddler?” The operative word is “call”–all parents *know* that toddlers are “psycho,” but it ain’t everyone who’s willing to *say* so (and in print, noch besser [even better])!
Kiwi the Geek May 17, 2006 at 4:34 am
Jameel, what’s a muqata? Stacey, what’s a shmata?
PT, you may never have told us the story about flushing, but you said plenty about The PT, and I think anybody with kids understood *very* well.
Around here, I gotta be on my toes, because one day I get it for flushing the toilet, and the next day somebody is offended because I asked her to flush it. But yesterday the lever broke, so now I have to get my finger wet each time, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be the only one flushing until it’s fixed. ;o)
Nomenclature was my very first blog post.
Stacey May 17, 2006 at 3:45 am
Because you will never see me w/out my favorite shmata.
miriam May 17, 2006 at 2:25 am
My blog name is lame, and I know it. but my name is Miriam and I have ideas, such s they are, so at least it’s honest.
PsychoToddler May 17, 2006 at 12:39 am
ST, Jameel: yeah, I figured it was pretty obvious. I mean, anyone who has kids probably isn’t surprised. Maybe that’s why I haven’t had to explain the blog name to anyone.
Oxmyx May 17, 2006 at 12:02 am
I wanted to use Yiddish in the name, something that was short, instantly recognizable, and easy to remember, in addition to being a reaction to the news headlines. Thus, Oyvayblog!
Jameel May 16, 2006 at 9:37 pm
PT: Wow…that happens here all the time. (Kids crying about a quick flush…when THEY wanted to…)
I wonder what I would have called my blog if that happened to me before deciding to start blogging.
Jack: I was going to use Jack’s Shack, but you took it first. And Jameel’s Shack sounded like such a blatent rip-off.
Yitzchak Goodman May 16, 2006 at 9:19 pm
“Judeopundit” is so obvious that it borders on a joke. I like things like that–sort of like imagining a Mexican restaurant with something called a “Gringoburger.”
Sweettooth120 May 16, 2006 at 8:39 pm
PT – that’s hysterical. My son doesn’t care who flushes the toilet, just as long as he can wave and say “bye bye poop”.
Rafi G May 16, 2006 at 8:25 pm
Life in Israel – because I live in Israel and that is what I discuss…
Jewish Blogmeister May 16, 2006 at 8:08 pm
Well mine is obviously based on the popular SNL skit. This was a big deal back in highschool and we used this
skit to death.
Jewish Atheist May 16, 2006 at 7:46 pm
I think I’m just boring. 🙂 At least you can’t criticise my title for being confusing.
Chaim May 16, 2006 at 7:31 pm
two words. Monty Python. enough said?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python's_Life_of_Brian
Also, if you switch the A in Brian for a U it would be interchanable for RUBIN
OH and my name means life. Chaim=life
life of rubin.
get it?
Chandira May 16, 2006 at 5:48 pm
‘Diary of a Hope Fiend’ is a play on words, based on Aliester Crowley’s ‘Dairy of a Drug Fiend’, and Marilyn Manson’s ‘Dope Fiend’. Being drawn to the weirder and ironic side of life, but also being an incorrigble idealist, it just sort of came to me. Dope turned to Hope. Which is also somewhat like my life…
When I went to set up my blog, I hadn’t even really considered that I needed to call it anything.
Never really thought of anything better, either. I like it.
Pragmatician May 16, 2006 at 3:40 pm
I’m Pragmatic (sometimes) so I thought being and expert pragmatic person deserved a title hence the Pragmatician.
PsychoToddler May 16, 2006 at 2:04 pm
Well, it’s hard to follow Dating Master, but I’ll try…
My daughter was throwing a particularly nasty tantrum one day. She was lying on the floor screaming at me because I flushed the toilet after wiping her little butt, and I guess what I was supposed to have done was asked her to flush it, but I didn’t, and now it was too late, and she was on the floor screaming.
I asked her what she wanted me to do about it, and she said something like “put the poopy BACK” and at that point, all I could do was shake my head and say, “Psycho toddler…”
It was either a blog or a rock band.
Datingmaster, Jerusalem May 16, 2006 at 10:07 am
Well I reall y am a dating master-on a date I keep the women entertained. I wine and dine them and they giggle and enjoy. I am also the king osmalltalk and am a smooth operator.
But now um I am married so dating is over
anyway everyone come over for my famous cream meringuePAVLOVA if you know waht that is
Jerusalemcop May 16, 2006 at 7:05 am
Jerusalem IS the place to be
I use to be a policeman in Jerusalem, hence Jerusalemcop
Jameel: good thing you didn’t use the willie in the hood, it would sound way too provocative
Jack: in response to your question about air time, there are actually two schools in Detroit 😉
J.
Jack's Shack May 16, 2006 at 6:54 am
Ezzie,
Have to admit that I wasn’t suprised by this one. You are right, it does sound nice.
Irina,
Interesting. I had wondered about yours.
Kasamba,
Works for me.
AT,
They have schools in Detroit. 😉
Jameel,
I always envisioned you as a Goldie.
Robbie,
Now you are just making me feel old.
Sarah,
Sometimes simple is best.
Sweet,
That works well.
MGA,
All good gum is like that. 😉
Amishav,
Chai expectations- I hope that they pay off.
Houston,
I like that. When I first started blogging I wondered as well if anyone ever read anything I wrote.
AMM,
That is a Midwestern thing.
TP,
I started this on a lark and decided that I didn’t want to be pigeonholed into being a certain kind of blogger.
Seawitch,
I have often dreamt of sailing around the world. I like that.
i’m Haaretz,
I like plays on words.
Saus,
I like that too. Of course some people might make a crack that the Hashmonaim were the Jewish Taliban, but not me. 😉 I like the symbolism you have chosen.
saus May 16, 2006 at 6:39 am
the hashmonean – I wanted a blog name having some historical context, yet tied into modern Zionism and representing strength, both spiritual and military which is how I categorize the modern State of Israel.
Judah the Hammer Maccabee and the hasmonaean dynasty that liberated the ancient Israelite temple in a sweeping military victory seemed a perfect fit and very inspirational to me.
The name I found had clever dual use, representing the above but Reflecting the fact that I was just an individual blogger.
I'm Haaretz, Ph.D. May 16, 2006 at 4:53 am
I’m (am) Haaretz is hebrew for ignoramus; Ph.D. implies the opposite.
I thought it would be a fun way to say Jewish Student.
seawitch May 16, 2006 at 3:28 am
I chose the name Thoughts by Seawitch because of I dream I have. There was a beautiful two-masted yacht by the name of Seawitch, it made me dream of going around the world and sailing on the sea. Since that is not realistic, I sail around the internet and foist my dreams upon unsuspecting readers!
torontopearl May 16, 2006 at 3:25 am
Pearlies of Wisdom:
Just some smaller pearls of wisdom, thus pearlies.
Hopefully I contribute at least smaller ideas to the great big world.
Good post idea, Jack. Give us your name’s background please.
Another meshugannah mommy May 16, 2006 at 2:38 am
I was going meshugganah when I started my blog.
I think I am there now.
Houston May 16, 2006 at 2:24 am
Dancing with Myself was my first blog and I called it that because it seemed to me that no one was reading it. That actually worked for me without my realizing it. The more I was sure that no one was paying me any attention, the more honest and brutally frank my writing became. I stopped worrying about what others might think of something I said or how I said it and started having fun just saying it. It also is suggestive of masturbation. Masturbation is masturbation whether it physical or mental or emotional, and since I was single in all of those respects….
The title worked for me very well, and it resonated well in the blogosphere. Because I share the words with the title of Billy Idol’s song, I get several hundred visitors a week who search for the words of said song and get hooked with some of my one-liners. Now I enjoy being myself for the pleasure of others as well.
Now Dancing with Myself means the game my writing self plays with my ego in trying to stay away from bullshit.
I have other blogs, but they’re more single issue with a limited audience.
I love blogging. It’s how I entertain myself. It’s a lot more fun than television.
Cheers.
Amishav May 16, 2006 at 1:32 am
Mine was just a pun on Mile High and Chai for life in Hebrew. I have chai (high) expectations for life here in Colorado.
MUST Gum Addict May 16, 2006 at 12:59 am
Well, I’m addicted to MUST gum — the Israeli gum that loses taste after about 30 seconds of chewing. I started chewing gum thinking it would keep me from eating all day. So Must Gum Addict seemed appropriate for me.
Sweettooth120 May 16, 2006 at 12:24 am
A Little Indulgence – well, I love desserts AND having a blog provides some much needed time to myself.
~ Sarah ~ May 15, 2006 at 11:12 pm
I tried to come up with something clever but decided that simple is best because the pictures I post are what I see! “Sarah’s View” because that’s what it is!
Jameel: Goldie at the Hair Salon? Good thing you didn’t flip the coin to that one, don’t know how seriously people would take it!! 😉
Robbie May 15, 2006 at 9:42 pm
It’s the law in the United States that when you’re in your twenties, you have to have a blog.
So I did.
Irina Tsukerman May 15, 2006 at 9:32 pm
Jameel: Tony at the Pizzeria was a good choice, as well! ; )
Jameel May 15, 2006 at 9:27 pm
Hmmm – it was a choice of:
Jameel at the Muqata
Jack at the Shomron CTU
Chang at the Pagoda
Tony at the Pizzeria
Goldie at the Hair Salon
Willie in the Hood
Yankie in the Beis Medrish
I flipped a 7 sided coin and Jameel won.
Air Time May 15, 2006 at 9:04 pm
Air Time, because as I wrote in 1997 in the first issue of Air Time, my high school nickname was Air (a teacher couldn’t pronounce Ari {Goyim}) and it was about my life and times.
kasamba May 15, 2006 at 8:44 pm
The Way i See It- because it’s the way I see it!
(I’m just sooo deep)
Irina Tsukerman May 15, 2006 at 7:30 pm
The Ignoble Experiment, a.k.a. Live Dangerously!
Started out simply as “The Noble Experiment”, in honor of an old nickname for the Constitution. But then, I made it Ignoble to make it more interesting. That has several inspirations – the alternative name for the Prohibition, the Ignoble Nobel Awards, and my own self-deprecating self-characterization. Live Dangerously comes from advice by Nietzsche.
Ezzie May 15, 2006 at 5:25 pm
SerandEz. My wife is Serach, and I’m Ezzie, and it sounds nice together. 🙂