Wow~I loved this. I read the Natural Law post you linked. I believe the same thing and cannot believe you used an image depicting the word temperance as I have written about the importance of temperance in my journal. Just….wow. I am so glad I found your Substack. It’s the needle in the haystack these days. Song of the day- Radiohead Karma Police…for those of us who want to keep our karma clean.
Funny you mention 'Temperance', Elizabeth - I actually have an entire 'Page' dedicated to it, and it is a important aspect of my spirituality. Definite synchronicity there :-)
It's still a work in progress, going through edits and whatnot, so this is not the final result of what will be in the book. However, I think it'll give you the gist... ;-)
Last one, promise. Add to that, my exhaustive list, shutting down dramatic people. Sounds like you enjoy that as much as I do. I have zero tolerance for that now. I am ruthless in protecting my peace, no matter who it is, friends, family, coworkers….bring that crap to my door and out they go.
The pharmaceutical and illicit drug industry would have us believe that the only way to manage uncomfortable emotions is via some quick pill or substance fix. I have learned that there are infinite ways around it, though. It has taken me over a decade to figure it out. It I have finally cracked my own code. Thank God, I could not mean that more. And it is found through diet, sleep, exercise and nature for a lot of us. Journaling, meditation, basic walking….which costs nothing. Who knew?
Thank you, though. I will definitely read it. You cover the esoteric very well. I need something to bring me down to earth today for sure. Thankfully, I am getting better at recognizing that within myself.
Today….I am working hardcore on the “temper” part of temperance. Not even going to lie. Like hardcore. I am going to do some serious manual labor, sit my butt in the grass, drink some tea. It is a very important word, though. I fully agree with that. I do not have tattoos, which makes me an anomaly at this point. But if I were ever going to get one, it would be that word. I am not, of course, but I might have something engraved with that word so as to remind me throughout each day. It is not lost on me that organized religion does not focus on that word. I did notice that.
In grade two, my teacher called upon me to answer a question using the name Gwyn. I didn't pay any attention to her until she came to my desk and asked why I hadn't answered. I stood up and informed her that my name was Gwyneth. She complained to my mother who also informed her that my name was Gwyneth.
Using a person's preferred name is a verbal expression of respect for their identity and until one becomes an intimate of that person, the formal name, not a nickname should be used until permission is granted for that intimacy. (I sound like Miss Manners 🤣)
Now I have Talking Heads' 'Give me back my name' running through my head. Good thing I like it, eh?
I spent many years fixated on names. Katherine was only for opera programes or my mother having found out something wicked I'd done; Katy was my name. Not Kate, or Kathy, or any variant thereof. They really bothered me. My last names were even more complicated, and caused a lot of heartache.
And now I live in Argentina, where they can't deal with dipthongs so I get called anything under the sun 🤣, including Frida (I wear flowers in my hair), and I don't give a damn. Didn't expect that, and it feels very liberating.
Around my time of birth, some families in Shiraz (my birthplace) used to choose names for their babies based on Persian literary masterpieces, if they wanted to choose a non-religious name. My parents did the same for me based on a sonnet by Hafiz, and it means a heavenly maiden, a writer and an artist (My interest in art stems from my first name). I'm so proud of my first name and never wanna change it.
As someone who (definitely!) does not identify as a 'Jackie' and yet has often been addressed this way by those who don't really know me, I truly understand the visceral squeamishness at being called the wrong name. Jac, fine. Jax, good! Even Jack-o-lantern is better than Jackie! LOL!
Jacqueline, you would have never survived our extended (aunts, uncles, cousins) family. Everyone was “-ee” or “-y”. Larry, Kenny, Cindy, Paulie, Lindy, Jimmy, Jerry, Donnie, Wally. The only ones who didn’t were those with names where it didn’t work or make sense, ie. Russell, Carol, Donna, Karen. My cousin married a girl named Regina…yup, you got it, Regi !
LOL!!!! Oh Ken, over the years I've learned to embrace it if there's simply no changing it. For the most part it's people making an attempt at connection and relatability, so for your fam, I would just suck it up and deal!! 😂
Oh dear,I guess I should have chosen my words more carefully. I was not trying to get snarky, it was a reflex of mine said carelessly. Egg on my face, I should have been a bit more sensitive. Would you be okay with "would you honor the demands of the pronoun fixated. You know that I would never have thrown a cheap shot at you like that, I beg your forgiveness and hope that we are still on good terms. 😬🙏
Sorry I misread that, I think the phrase "bend a knee" triggered me a little bit :-) Normally I have a thicker skin, but when to comes to someone I actually like, someone whose thoughts and comments I value, I reckon I can get a little 'sensitive' LOL
My bad, for the overreaction - again, my apologies...
Nope, sorry bro, you don't get off that easy, it's on me, my gaffe, period.
First of all, I'm honored that you hold my thoughts in high regard, I had no idea, so thank you for that. Likewise, I come here for the hot takes and stick around for the wool-gathering and dreams of living in a free society, discussing the esoteric of what liberty really means in practice, and the high-level engagement of countering ideas. I place a high value on this piece of Substack real estate and wouldn't want to dump my used motor oil of retarded thoughts onto the fertile ground of bright ideas.
So let me take out the trash while I'm here.
I say all that to say that I've been working on a new song an I'll go all night without sleep chasing down an elusive chord or phrase - and that is exactly what I did, I just pulled an all-nighter and was a zombie when I blathered that out during a smoke break. Next time I'll do better.
So there, deal with it, Stone, I'm taking the blame back and there ain't nothin' you can do 'bout it.
I have lived under three names, as it seems I have lived three different lives, each name change marked a major change in my life, my identity. It seemed that this was often the case in the bible story. Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, Paul became Saul. Each marked a major turn in their identity. I deeply understand what you are saying here and agree with it. It was interesting to see which old friends and family respected what I chose to be called. As you say it tends to expose who you want to keep in your life and whose vibes you can do without. Oh yeah, and came to hate my childhood family version of my first name, as it felt like it was used to diminish me as an adult. Now I am not offended, but it does make a difference in how I feel about someone who doesn't seem to care about my preferred use name. These changes taught me a lot about personal identity and helped stabilize the new identity in my new life.
Interesting piece. I remember when I was a teenager getting into numerology and reading that if Judy Garland would have stayed Frances Gumm she’d have had this lovely life and it was all the fault of the name. It frightened the shit out of me, esp especially when I did it to my name and worked out I was allegedly going to have a shit life too. I took the ‘e’ from my first name and all my education certificates are printed as ‘Juli’. 😬😂 my surname isn’t Dee but begins with ‘D’. That’s how that started and stuck.
Pet/nick names are funny things too. Sometimes if the ‘wrong person’ uses it then it’s just creepy as hell.
Way back in the days of old, our rather large circle of salt-water hillbilly friends operated almost entirely on nicknames. Some of us had semi permanent nicknames but we were always subject to temporary or even permanent re-nicknaming depending upon the nature of the most recent embarrassing stunt we might have pulled. And you were allowed absolutely no say in the matter, and this was not a bad thing, it was actually a way to make sure that our ego’s were held in check, as no inconsiderate act would go unnoticed, and you could be subject to a sort of crowd based teasing which could result in a new nickname being applied. Thick skins were a survival skill.
Great post.... I've known you longer than most. Your hitting on biblical truth. For example:
Revelation 2:17
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Names mean things.
Next time you're in town let me know. Would enjoy catching up.
This too. Over the years I’ve worked with 1000’s of people with difficult to pronounce names. As soon as I shake their hand I say “how do you say your name?” So I hear it in their tongue while looking at their face and use it properly in the future. I was insulted by proxy when I went to Manila for a work trip and many of my coworkers there had (given themselves?) an American name like Amy, or Dan. Although I suspect it could be to tame the offshoring naysayers, since most of them were young it could also be that they’re named modern American names at birth. Or it could be they’re renamed in the special education centers they go away to starting at age 3 to learn English ways and language if they have a hope of getting a night job answering customer service calls for your local bank or Home Depot or whatever. I wanted to cry. They give their identities away to feed their families which feels like a form of slavery to me. And yet they seemed like very happy people.
So many people have a bad habit of nick naming me online to Nic. I don’t say anything but it’s kind of annoying when they abbreviate my real name, but it’s never been a problem in real life.
When I was heavily into gaming I went by LadyNymeria and got so used to being called Lady that it was a little weird when someone used my real name. I was so absorbed into the game for YEARS that I think I was losing my real identity. I’m fine with my real name being used though ..and I also don’t mind Nym since I changed all my handles to NightWolfNym. I just leave my real name up because I have always used it on social media. I originally had social media for real life friends and family …MySpace connected me to more people (including you), but I never bothered to go anonymous. Sometimes I wish I had. …especially with lunatics doxxing people and trying to ruin people over differing opinions these days.
Speaking of shows, The Handmaid’s Tale renames all the Handmaids in a truly vile way and regaining back their true identity is also part of the story.
And in one of my all time favorite shows, Game of Thrones, there’s a storyline that strips a character of his identity and forces him to take on a demeaning name as another form of torture. Which btw, I took both “Lady” and “Nymeria” from the show. lol Nymeria is sometimes referred to as the night wolf in the novels. Since I never had a real nickname I just pull from stuff I love LOL
A lot to think about in this one. I've been online longer than most, I had a Compuserve account in the early 80s and was one of the engineers who helped build the Prodigy Network. An early online mentor of mine, a fellow named Sheldon Brown, was an early advocate of always using his real name online and only posting what you'd be willing to say in real life to someone you care about. I took his advice to heart and therefore have never worried about being doxed. But I do understand why some folks chose to be anonymous, it's just not my route.
My wife Christine has gone by Christine as long as I've known her. It is her given name and I learned early on that she's not a Chris or a Christy. Her mom always called her Tina and as a kid in school she was teased by other kids and called Tiny Tina. She hated the name Tina and she defied her mom by going away to college instead of the local college mom wanted her to go to and from then on she would always go by Christine. Years later, when I met Christine's mom, she would still call Christine "Tina". Christine's mom, who was named Margaret, always tried to get me to call her mom or "Marge" or "Margie" "My friends call me Marge" she'd say. I always called her "Mrs. Crowell" or "Margaret".
Christine & I do have pet names for each other, however!
Every body on prison called me Krash it was weird getting out and only heard Kary my given name again... and introducing myself to potential employers I would slip up and say Krash then quickly switch it up with Kary...probably seemed really strange to them...anyway yeah there is power in nanes for sure...
Wow~I loved this. I read the Natural Law post you linked. I believe the same thing and cannot believe you used an image depicting the word temperance as I have written about the importance of temperance in my journal. Just….wow. I am so glad I found your Substack. It’s the needle in the haystack these days. Song of the day- Radiohead Karma Police…for those of us who want to keep our karma clean.
Funny you mention 'Temperance', Elizabeth - I actually have an entire 'Page' dedicated to it, and it is a important aspect of my spirituality. Definite synchronicity there :-)
If you are curious...
https://stonebryson.substack.com/p/the-serenity-of-temperance
It's still a work in progress, going through edits and whatnot, so this is not the final result of what will be in the book. However, I think it'll give you the gist... ;-)
Great song, BTW ;-) Thanks so much!
Last one, promise. Add to that, my exhaustive list, shutting down dramatic people. Sounds like you enjoy that as much as I do. I have zero tolerance for that now. I am ruthless in protecting my peace, no matter who it is, friends, family, coworkers….bring that crap to my door and out they go.
The pharmaceutical and illicit drug industry would have us believe that the only way to manage uncomfortable emotions is via some quick pill or substance fix. I have learned that there are infinite ways around it, though. It has taken me over a decade to figure it out. It I have finally cracked my own code. Thank God, I could not mean that more. And it is found through diet, sleep, exercise and nature for a lot of us. Journaling, meditation, basic walking….which costs nothing. Who knew?
Song of the day Sweet Emotion. They are not always Sweet. Managing them properly is critical.
Thank you, though. I will definitely read it. You cover the esoteric very well. I need something to bring me down to earth today for sure. Thankfully, I am getting better at recognizing that within myself.
Today….I am working hardcore on the “temper” part of temperance. Not even going to lie. Like hardcore. I am going to do some serious manual labor, sit my butt in the grass, drink some tea. It is a very important word, though. I fully agree with that. I do not have tattoos, which makes me an anomaly at this point. But if I were ever going to get one, it would be that word. I am not, of course, but I might have something engraved with that word so as to remind me throughout each day. It is not lost on me that organized religion does not focus on that word. I did notice that.
In grade two, my teacher called upon me to answer a question using the name Gwyn. I didn't pay any attention to her until she came to my desk and asked why I hadn't answered. I stood up and informed her that my name was Gwyneth. She complained to my mother who also informed her that my name was Gwyneth.
Using a person's preferred name is a verbal expression of respect for their identity and until one becomes an intimate of that person, the formal name, not a nickname should be used until permission is granted for that intimacy. (I sound like Miss Manners 🤣)
This, this right here - THIS is what I am talking about! VERY well put - thank you!
"A particularly nasty individual (we’ll call her Taylor Lorenz)..." 😂🤣😂
Thanks - I had a little fun with that line ;-)
Now I have Talking Heads' 'Give me back my name' running through my head. Good thing I like it, eh?
I spent many years fixated on names. Katherine was only for opera programes or my mother having found out something wicked I'd done; Katy was my name. Not Kate, or Kathy, or any variant thereof. They really bothered me. My last names were even more complicated, and caused a lot of heartache.
And now I live in Argentina, where they can't deal with dipthongs so I get called anything under the sun 🤣, including Frida (I wear flowers in my hair), and I don't give a damn. Didn't expect that, and it feels very liberating.
Around my time of birth, some families in Shiraz (my birthplace) used to choose names for their babies based on Persian literary masterpieces, if they wanted to choose a non-religious name. My parents did the same for me based on a sonnet by Hafiz, and it means a heavenly maiden, a writer and an artist (My interest in art stems from my first name). I'm so proud of my first name and never wanna change it.
As someone who (definitely!) does not identify as a 'Jackie' and yet has often been addressed this way by those who don't really know me, I truly understand the visceral squeamishness at being called the wrong name. Jac, fine. Jax, good! Even Jack-o-lantern is better than Jackie! LOL!
Jacqueline, you would have never survived our extended (aunts, uncles, cousins) family. Everyone was “-ee” or “-y”. Larry, Kenny, Cindy, Paulie, Lindy, Jimmy, Jerry, Donnie, Wally. The only ones who didn’t were those with names where it didn’t work or make sense, ie. Russell, Carol, Donna, Karen. My cousin married a girl named Regina…yup, you got it, Regi !
LOL!!!! Oh Ken, over the years I've learned to embrace it if there's simply no changing it. For the most part it's people making an attempt at connection and relatability, so for your fam, I would just suck it up and deal!! 😂
Oh dear,I guess I should have chosen my words more carefully. I was not trying to get snarky, it was a reflex of mine said carelessly. Egg on my face, I should have been a bit more sensitive. Would you be okay with "would you honor the demands of the pronoun fixated. You know that I would never have thrown a cheap shot at you like that, I beg your forgiveness and hope that we are still on good terms. 😬🙏
Sorry I misread that, I think the phrase "bend a knee" triggered me a little bit :-) Normally I have a thicker skin, but when to comes to someone I actually like, someone whose thoughts and comments I value, I reckon I can get a little 'sensitive' LOL
My bad, for the overreaction - again, my apologies...
Nope, sorry bro, you don't get off that easy, it's on me, my gaffe, period.
First of all, I'm honored that you hold my thoughts in high regard, I had no idea, so thank you for that. Likewise, I come here for the hot takes and stick around for the wool-gathering and dreams of living in a free society, discussing the esoteric of what liberty really means in practice, and the high-level engagement of countering ideas. I place a high value on this piece of Substack real estate and wouldn't want to dump my used motor oil of retarded thoughts onto the fertile ground of bright ideas.
So let me take out the trash while I'm here.
I say all that to say that I've been working on a new song an I'll go all night without sleep chasing down an elusive chord or phrase - and that is exactly what I did, I just pulled an all-nighter and was a zombie when I blathered that out during a smoke break. Next time I'll do better.
So there, deal with it, Stone, I'm taking the blame back and there ain't nothin' you can do 'bout it.
┌( ಠ_ಠ )┘
I have lived under three names, as it seems I have lived three different lives, each name change marked a major change in my life, my identity. It seemed that this was often the case in the bible story. Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, Paul became Saul. Each marked a major turn in their identity. I deeply understand what you are saying here and agree with it. It was interesting to see which old friends and family respected what I chose to be called. As you say it tends to expose who you want to keep in your life and whose vibes you can do without. Oh yeah, and came to hate my childhood family version of my first name, as it felt like it was used to diminish me as an adult. Now I am not offended, but it does make a difference in how I feel about someone who doesn't seem to care about my preferred use name. These changes taught me a lot about personal identity and helped stabilize the new identity in my new life.
Interesting piece. I remember when I was a teenager getting into numerology and reading that if Judy Garland would have stayed Frances Gumm she’d have had this lovely life and it was all the fault of the name. It frightened the shit out of me, esp especially when I did it to my name and worked out I was allegedly going to have a shit life too. I took the ‘e’ from my first name and all my education certificates are printed as ‘Juli’. 😬😂 my surname isn’t Dee but begins with ‘D’. That’s how that started and stuck.
Pet/nick names are funny things too. Sometimes if the ‘wrong person’ uses it then it’s just creepy as hell.
Way back in the days of old, our rather large circle of salt-water hillbilly friends operated almost entirely on nicknames. Some of us had semi permanent nicknames but we were always subject to temporary or even permanent re-nicknaming depending upon the nature of the most recent embarrassing stunt we might have pulled. And you were allowed absolutely no say in the matter, and this was not a bad thing, it was actually a way to make sure that our ego’s were held in check, as no inconsiderate act would go unnoticed, and you could be subject to a sort of crowd based teasing which could result in a new nickname being applied. Thick skins were a survival skill.
Great post.... I've known you longer than most. Your hitting on biblical truth. For example:
Revelation 2:17
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Names mean things.
Next time you're in town let me know. Would enjoy catching up.
This too. Over the years I’ve worked with 1000’s of people with difficult to pronounce names. As soon as I shake their hand I say “how do you say your name?” So I hear it in their tongue while looking at their face and use it properly in the future. I was insulted by proxy when I went to Manila for a work trip and many of my coworkers there had (given themselves?) an American name like Amy, or Dan. Although I suspect it could be to tame the offshoring naysayers, since most of them were young it could also be that they’re named modern American names at birth. Or it could be they’re renamed in the special education centers they go away to starting at age 3 to learn English ways and language if they have a hope of getting a night job answering customer service calls for your local bank or Home Depot or whatever. I wanted to cry. They give their identities away to feed their families which feels like a form of slavery to me. And yet they seemed like very happy people.
So many people have a bad habit of nick naming me online to Nic. I don’t say anything but it’s kind of annoying when they abbreviate my real name, but it’s never been a problem in real life.
When I was heavily into gaming I went by LadyNymeria and got so used to being called Lady that it was a little weird when someone used my real name. I was so absorbed into the game for YEARS that I think I was losing my real identity. I’m fine with my real name being used though ..and I also don’t mind Nym since I changed all my handles to NightWolfNym. I just leave my real name up because I have always used it on social media. I originally had social media for real life friends and family …MySpace connected me to more people (including you), but I never bothered to go anonymous. Sometimes I wish I had. …especially with lunatics doxxing people and trying to ruin people over differing opinions these days.
Speaking of shows, The Handmaid’s Tale renames all the Handmaids in a truly vile way and regaining back their true identity is also part of the story.
And in one of my all time favorite shows, Game of Thrones, there’s a storyline that strips a character of his identity and forces him to take on a demeaning name as another form of torture. Which btw, I took both “Lady” and “Nymeria” from the show. lol Nymeria is sometimes referred to as the night wolf in the novels. Since I never had a real nickname I just pull from stuff I love LOL
A lot to think about in this one. I've been online longer than most, I had a Compuserve account in the early 80s and was one of the engineers who helped build the Prodigy Network. An early online mentor of mine, a fellow named Sheldon Brown, was an early advocate of always using his real name online and only posting what you'd be willing to say in real life to someone you care about. I took his advice to heart and therefore have never worried about being doxed. But I do understand why some folks chose to be anonymous, it's just not my route.
My wife Christine has gone by Christine as long as I've known her. It is her given name and I learned early on that she's not a Chris or a Christy. Her mom always called her Tina and as a kid in school she was teased by other kids and called Tiny Tina. She hated the name Tina and she defied her mom by going away to college instead of the local college mom wanted her to go to and from then on she would always go by Christine. Years later, when I met Christine's mom, she would still call Christine "Tina". Christine's mom, who was named Margaret, always tried to get me to call her mom or "Marge" or "Margie" "My friends call me Marge" she'd say. I always called her "Mrs. Crowell" or "Margaret".
Christine & I do have pet names for each other, however!
Every body on prison called me Krash it was weird getting out and only heard Kary my given name again... and introducing myself to potential employers I would slip up and say Krash then quickly switch it up with Kary...probably seemed really strange to them...anyway yeah there is power in nanes for sure...
"the 'event' which made him famous" 😅
LOL I figured that was one way to put it ;-)