Breen-storming a column name
The quest to name this column, as noted last week, has been
surprisingly stressful for me. Whatever I pick has got to be
something I like and it has to somehow make sense with what I
write.
On the other hand, what I write doesn’t always make sense, so
maybe the pressure’s off.
Breen-storming a column name
The quest to name this column, as noted last week, has been surprisingly stressful for me. Whatever I pick has got to be something I like and it has to somehow make sense with what I write.
On the other hand, what I write doesn’t always make sense, so maybe the pressure’s off.
I received approximately 20 name suggestions in various ways, from snail mail to e-mail to a person walking into the office to an anonymous message on my home answering machine.
Gary Sandifer, my junior varsity basketball coach at San Benito High School, who must be so proud that I am still hanging around Hollister 23 years later, was the first to reply to my request for suggestions. He offered “Adam & E-mail,” which adds a 21st century twist to a Bible story reference. His wife, Jade, threw “Breen-Mail” into the ring.
Another e-mailer was Lindsay Adamson, my former student editor for San Benito High School’s Baler newspaper who now is taking college classes while pursing her dream to be a professional singer.
Lindsay encouraged me to “make the right choice: my choice,” which was “Lean Mean Breen Machine.”
“It’s catchy,” she said. “I can totally hear someone saying ‘Hey, did you read Lean Mean Breen Machine’ Friday? It was quite entertaining.”
Lindsay thought that I might not have heard her call me that last year, but I had. She also called me “Breenie” for the past two years, but she couldn’t figure out how to make that fit into a column title, I guess. Good thing.
Judie Vierra of Tres Pinos was nice enough to spend 42 cents on a stamp to send the suggestion, “What’s Up Adam.” Without a comma after the word “up” it sounds like readers will be in store for a report on a medical procedure: “gee, what’s up Adam this week?” Her official suggestion is “What’s Up, Adam.” Not bad at all.
Shirley Tully stopped by The Pinnacle office on Tuesday to suggest “Here’s Adam,” an Ed McMahon-inspired offering. I like it, though it would work better if I had a radio show and someone could belt out that title to introduce me and make me feel more important than I am.
A creepy, anonymous voice left the suggestion “My Mind on Paper” on my home answering machine earlier this week. The person, either an unidentified male or a woman with a really deep voice, repeated the suggestion and hung up, not actually saying that it was a column title idea. The message could have been from my dad, but he normally identifies himself when he leaves messages and then tries to talk until the machine runs out of space and cuts him off. This person was very brief.
My Pinnacle colleague, Laurie Lemmerman-Castaneda, with whom I have worked on and off since 1994, threw out “Will Work For Food” as a column name idea. She knows how much I like food – even more than work – so it makes perfect sense.
Then there was San Benito High School teacher Jim Ostdick, another colleague of mine, who wins the award for the most suggestions: eight.
In no particular order, Jim offered “Breen Waves,” “Breen Storms,” “Breen Storming,” “Breen Street,” “Breen Scenes,” “Breen Country,” “Breen Trust,” and “Echoes.”
I am honored and humbled that people took the time to help me out in my time of need. The suggestions were well-intentioned and creative. No one, not even the creepy anonymous voice-mailer, offered mean or rude suggestions.
They could have thrown out “The Guy With the Big Head” or “Word Waster.” Instead, they offered thoughtful ideas.
It was a tough decision, but I had to come up with something. So the winner is “Breenstorm,” as offered by Ostdick and changed to one word and made singular by me. It incorporates my name and it takes into account the random, “brainstorm-y” nature of my writing. Plus, if I ever start writing a weather-themed column, I won’t have to change its name.
As promised, Ostdick will receive a free subscription to The (free) Pinnacle, as will every one else who offered a suggestion. For that matter, everyone who reads this column can have a free subscription to the paper (as long as you’re part of our regular delivery route). You can also read it for free on our free Web site whenever you have free time.
No need to thank me, it’s something I just Breenstormed.
