The words we use give meaning that shapes how we think, live, and act.
How we name things holds even more power.
Moving Houses
One of my favorite things about moving house is the ability to re-name the home. It's a general, digital home security need that comes along with setting a new password. It's a new place so the wi-fi shouldn't remain the same. Also, fun—for me.
Hosting guests
There's additional need in Naming to make sure it's easy enough to share when someone asks what's the wi-fi and password. Needs to be easy to say; password, easy to write; that holds potential conversation sparks.
Tick the list
I have a deep appreciation for crossing things off a list—done, out of date, no longer needed...just added to be able to immediately cross off because document it's a thing that did get done but was more of an additional surprise. We can cross it off? Great. There are limits but the general consensus in design and trying to get things done.
Writing it down and seeing as done also means that task is checked off for future-me to appreciate.
Names as magic
"For magic is in this, the true naming of a thing." My favorite Ursula le Guin quote from Merlin Book. By naming homes $this or $that we bestow something of what we hope that home to become. The energy, the vibes, you want to cultivate in this Space.
Without further ado
And in a haphazard, chronological-ish order:
Atlantis
Our first home after moving to the States. New adventures, undiscovered cities. Also,a very good animated movie that's in our rewatch cycle.
Wonder Emporium
Our first apartment together. Named after one of my favorite movies: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Embodying the weird, fun, different ways of working at life.
The Burrow
My second apartment in Amsterdam's Jordaan. Named as a blessing to grow the warmth, community, safety, and solidarity in one magical red-headed family's home. A goal & hope to cultivate community and warmth in the space.
Caladan
My second apartment after University; my first in the Jordaan. If Arrakis was a new adventure, Caladan—another planet in the same literary universe—felt appropriate. A new land built of water and trade.
Vincent
Couldn't name it because situation, but he was the street's namesake My apartment in De Pijp. One of my favorite artists. Even have a funny story of almost knocking a painting he did down by bumping into it.
Arrakis
My first apartment after University, in Durham. A time of new adventures, "adult" life after graduation. A new world that's very different than any others I'd encountered so far.
Note to Author: Add edit date for "Last Tended." Feb 14th. Current date becomes "Planted". When making this change in the code, "announce" change as to why. It's a digital garden practice. Stealing Maggie Appleton's microcopy. Love the metaphor.