What’s In A Name? An Introduction.

I’ve never really introduced myself here, and thought that it was high time I did so.  My name is Tuesday.  Yes, you read that correctly, it’s my real name; it’s what is printed on my birth certificate, and what I have gone by for the last 40 years. 

I’m going to start by answering the first question that probably popped in your head.  No, I was not born on a Tuesday.  I was born in Northern New York, during a massive snow storm, on a Sunday Valentine’s Day afternoon.  I was a week early, and if you listen to my mother, she was convinced I was a boy.  Guess she was pretty surprised when she didn’t see any bits hanging. 

Why Tuesday?  Why not?  My mother’s given name is Kathryn, and she was called Kathy.  She said while growing up, there were always a lot of Kathy’s.  She wanted my name to be unique, something to stand out from the crowd.  Well, Tuesday certainly stands out.  Since I was a boy, the name was already decided on by both of them, William Joseph (thank goodness I was a girl), they didn’t do such a good job of hacking out the girl name.  There was NO WAY my mother was having a girl.  SURPRISE!!!!!

Dad wanted the cutesy names that my mother didn’t like of the very early 1970’s; Melissa or Melanie is what she told me in an email this morning, but I remember her telling me at one time it was Jessica or Jennifer.  Mom wanted Elizabeth or Rachael, of which my dad felt both were too old fashioned.  I guess when push came to more pushing, my mother decided that since she was doing all the work (um, pushing) that she would pick the name.  She chose Tuesday Ann, and told the nuns at the hospital to write it down, and to not allow anyone ("ahem, specifically the father Sister”) change it.

To sum that part of my introduction up, yes I love my name, no, I have never though of changing it (except maybe a brief time when I was 7 years old and wanted to be a Jessica like every other girl in my class or maybe Olivia, because then I could make out with Johnny T in my favorite movie Grease - give me a break I was 7).  It is unique, it does grab a person’s attention, and there’s not very many other’s running around with the same name.  I could bore you to tears with stories about other "unique" names people I've met over the years, but I won't. 

I am a newly minted 40 year-old, and have just recently been able to sputter those words.  They still hurt sometimes though.  I took a different route in life than many do and joined the Navy when I got out of high school.  It enlightened me, I learned from my experience, and I’m glad that I had the opportunity.  I started college when I got out of the Navy and it took me 11 years to finish.  I paid for college myself, took one or two classes at a time, and had a few bumps along the way.  When I finally decided on what I wanted to focus on, I made practically straight A’s.  I graduated with Honors from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2004 with a degree in communication studies (that means I know how to communicate with people…).

Currently I am living in Florida with the love of my life, who I met over 20 years ago on a blind date, and our wee little Cairn Terrier, Murphy MacDonald, Lord of the Isle.  I work in administration at a not-for-profit organization.  One of my favorite things to do, and the inspiration for the blog title, is spending time on the beach.  I love the water, the salty sea air, the sound of the waves, the sand, and especially seashells.  A couple of years ago I started golfing, which is a lot of frustration and fun rolled into one.  If given a choice between shopping and fishing, I’ll beat you to the boat.  I could spend every day for the rest of my life fishing, catch nothing, and be a very happy girl.  I love to read.  I will be honest, I don’t read to better myself (unless I have to), I read because I want that escape from reality, whatever it may be.  I like to sew, though I’m working on perfecting (okay, getting moderately good at) that skill.  I’ve learned to crochet recently, and have all the stuff to knit, but haven’t taken that plunge yet.  I don’t like to shop.  I love thrift stores and yard sales though and can spend hours looking for something special for a small price.  

I would like my blog to be about me, but I also hope to bring my love of books, my love of the sea, my love of golf along with some other surprises to anyone out there who stumbles on it.  I would love nothing more than to see this take off into something amazingly wonderful, but I will be happy the way it is.