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Misnamed Or Mistimed

I first arrived in the US in the middle of hurricane season. Coming from a tropical country I was no stranger to rain and storm but the fact that they were given male and female names fascinated me.

The storms that year were nowhere near as devastating as Katrina or Rita. No one who shared names with them could have felt conscious of their names like I guess the Katrinas and Ritas among us might today.

I would hate to have my name bring back terrible memories each time it was spoken - it can't be a good feeling. I wonder why storms can't be named after mythological characters. Since they are acts of God that would hardly be inappropriate.

When a name or a date comes to acquire larger than life proportions it's personal significance to ordinary people gets compromised.

A 9/11 birthday or anniversary will not feel like one for years maybe - as long as it takes for public memory to turn numb to the odiousness of the date.In saying "Hello Katrina, wonderful meeting you" to a perfectly nice woman - there maybe be a sense of oxymoron.

It does not seem fair that big events should take away people of what is intrinsically personal.

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Comments

Anonymous said…
Seinfeld: Whenever I go on tour, people always ask me to say "Hello Newman" ... with the hostility I would on the show.

JS: I wonder if there is a Newman in the audience. He maybe puzzled 'Why is he mad at me?'

:-)
10:14 AM
Sideways Chica said…
So true. It's not as bad when the name is more common, like Andrew...but the Katrinas and the Wilmas of the world -- dare I say it -- get a bad name...literally!

I posted a new article Friday...you might get a laugh or two out of it...and the ensuing comments.

Ciao for now...

Teri
www.herestohappywomen.blogspot.com
4:17 PM
Heartcrossings said…
Bleu - I'd hate to the Newman in the audience for sure :)
10:38 PM
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