Thursday, 23 May 2013

What's in a Name?

It took me a while to come up with something that I felt truly represented who I was.  I played around with some clever names; lyrical representations, names with double meanings, humourous titles with clear directions and then it hit me - yes! I am all of those things, but I am also just Jojo.

I am a person who's known to not only double dip, but to have each of my fingers dipped into many proverbial pies.  Dipping deeply in just one pie is not what I'm about - unless of course it's a pie with many layers, rich, decadent and rather nutty with more than a few hidden ingredients (especially if they're organic and good for you)...

My outer life may seem rather dull to many.  I don't work in any kind of regular job, and I don't go to many interesting places at all these days but my inner life is rich beyond compare.  I honestly don't understand the concept of boredom; I never have enough time to do even one tenth of the things I long to do.  I'm fascinated and passionate about so many things, I'm creative, I'm artistic, I engage deeply in the search for the meaning of life.  I laugh a lot and loudly.  I value family above all things. Connecting with other people is vital to me - I need interaction, I need to be heard and I need to be valued.  I don't mind at all if people think differently to me or have vastly different beliefs and ideas but I do mind if they instantly discredit me for the very same reasons.

Names - they do say a lot about us when they are chosen BY us and not by anyone else.  I know I often get a feel for what someone represents purely by the name they've chosen and I guess that's why I've not really chosen anything as I don't believe a name can possibly encapsulate all that I am. Although I'm contentedly complex, I'm also an open book - I guess I'm just Jojo...

10 comments:

  1. Well said Jojo :) A name is how we know you but certainly not who we are.

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    1. Precisely Caz... A name is kind of like a Book Cover, we can gather a little bit of an insight but can't really sink our teeth in unless we're game enough to open up :)

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  2. Hey Jo, I'm just Lou. And I'm thinking you should add to your list of things you do "mind reader". What you wrote sounds exactly like me. Except I do have a regular job. So many pies, never a second to be bored, needing people time, time to myself to think inwardly, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I'll listen although I may not agree, but I won't dismiss you for it. My mum gave me my name, she gave it to me from my great grandmother who was a beautiful lady, a ray of sunshine in our family. I hope my descendants will look back at me one day and remember Great Great Grandma Louise with pride and sentimental value for leaving them with a spirit of something lovely.

    Just Jo. It is lovely to have met you :)

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    1. Lovely to meet you Lou! You also expanded on my thoughts with what you wrote here... things I meant to add and forgot at the time. How lovely that you were named after your Great Grandmother :) Believe it or not - I was named after the dog - TRUE STORY! The family dog was named Jojo - he was named after some famous roller skater... Mum laments that he turned into a rascal when she was in hospital having me because the neighbours let her precious fur baby wander the streets. They've never let me forget my namesake :)

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  3. Beautifully written, Jo. I have no idea why my parents gave me the name they gave me. It was popular at the time in Poland, where I was born. I've always disliked it, particularly the Polish version of it and I'm not impressed when people try to call me Dot, Dotty or Dozza.

    If I have to be anything, it will be Dorothy.

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    1. Believe it or not, but mum was saying last night that when I was born Dad wanted to name me Dorothy after his mother and sister and mum wanted to call me Chantelle (if she had've won, I'd be working as a check out girl in k-mart) but they settled on naming me after their very close friend Joan and my Aunty Joy - Jojo which also happened to be the DOG'S NAME... Anyhow, my nana Dorothy was always called Dolly - which I think is just lovely, or Dora. My Aunty is Dot... but DOZZA! Seriously? hehe...

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  4. My name is me, my parents were immigrants from Ireland and named me Erin (poetic name for Ireland), it was very rare back then, like calling someone Paris I guess, I love how it is my connection to them and to their home country. Thanks Jo, its nive to take time to consider.

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    1. Erin is a lovely name, and to have that connection with 'home', with family is very special. I've tried doing that with each of my children - I didn't name them Eureka or Ballarat ;) But I did give them each family names.

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  5. Love your writing style. I don't think much about my name - apparently my brother suggested it. He was in primary school at the time and may of had a little crush on a girl called 'Angela' in his class!

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    1. Hi Angela! Very weird coincidence here... I named my sister and suggested Angela (I was 3 at the time). Mum was concerned there were too many Angela's in their friendship circle so tried to suggest a few different names but apparently I kept insisting on Angela. Anyhow, she was eventually named Angeline which my three year old self was apparently happy enough with... hehe.

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