Sunday, March 27, 2011

Origins: Whimsical Mai, the name

Whilst I'm still pondering about all the wonderful things I wish to share with you, I wanted to take you on the journey of how I came up with with my name "Whimsical Mai". First let me say that I have spent about two months, on and off, rolling ideas in my head over what to be 'called'.


My middle name, is Norwegian; Mai Bente (My_ Bent_ tah).
Up until middle school, I thought it was the coolest middle name in the world. Tween-age certainly did have an effect on my image. During those years, I found a picture of one of the ships my father sailed on,named; you guessed it: Mai Bente. At that point I became resentful that my father wanted me to be named after a ship. Despite my mother's attempts to explain it is a girl's name is Norway; I didn't care. It also belonged to a ship and I didn't want it.

By high school I was ok with the name again, but didn't go boasting about it. Then a turning point took place. As I handed out my senior picture and cards, one of my peers took notice of my middle name in a  way I didn't expect. He grabbed my arm and said "Your middle name is Mai?!" (he pronounced May, although it's pronounced My). I told him, no, it's Mai Bente. Then he told me that he really wanted a daughter to have the middle name May, but spelled M-A-I. I really like that idea, and I like it better pronounced May than My. I've carried that memory with me for a while now.

For my future business I wanted a name that represented me, but also my work. I'm a free spirited type of person when it comes to crafting and interests, so I am really afraid of trying one thing can having to stick to it. I also didn't want something that sounds 'plain'. My mother suggested I name my business "Crystal's Creations." ...but I gag at it, because I know a few people whom have business names like that. It just blends in. I thought of "Crystal's Clayations" which plays on the fact I love working with polymer clay, but I also fought with this one because I didn't want a name that made my main 'business' limited to what I can do with polymer clay (Although there is alot you can do with it).

I wrote down series of ideas and thoughts, and decided that "Whimsical" describes my personality perfectly. Free spirited, fantasy, and enjoyable. I love alitterations so I spent several weeks pondering on ways to play with the word Whimsical, never finding anything satisfactory.

For some reason there are two places I seem to get my best ideas: right before I go to sleep in bed, or in the shower. Both places seem to never be a convenient place to right ideas down (I don't have a bed side table; our room is too small). Nevertheless, when Whimsical Mai came into my mind in the shower, I kept it locked away in my mind long enough to write it down.

I've fallen in love. You know that feeling you get when you find the one? To me, it's not that there isn't anybody else out there (or in this case another name) that suits me well; but rather you stop looking because you've found everything you need and want. I've stopped looking. Whimsical Mai is all I want and need.

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