Friday, July 9, 2010

JMR

TS Eliot warned us in his poem "The Naming of Cats"
"The naming of cats is a difficult matter
It isn't just one of your holiday games
You may think at first I'm mad as a hatter
When I tell you a cat must have three different names"
The naming of names is a strange enterprise indeed. I like to think there is a reason for all the 'madness' moms and dads go through picking names for children. In our case, back 24 years ago, what we thought would be easy was anything but. First of all, we didn't want to know the gender, so we complicated our decision by having to compile two lists of names. Our girl list was pretty set in stone, but our column of males was added to and deleted each day it seemed. Long story short(really)-- everything fell into place with the help of the Moody Blues. We were watching the Today Show on a June morning and the band was on. After a song, they interviewed Justin Heywood, the lead singer, and E- and I both looked at each other. Our eyes locked(really)! That was it! The deed was done... well, almost-- we had another little issue, but I'll save that for another day.
Happy Birthday to our 'beautiful boy' Justin.
*ps Last summer, he finally got to see Justin and the boys at Meadowbrook in NH. When they took the stage, and the first chords rang out of "Lovely To See You Again", the biggest smile ran across his face.
The naming of names, a difficult task, but one well worth it!

14 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday, Justin!!
    I remember picking out some very special balloons from a specialty shop in the OLd Port with one Aunt J and bringing them to you at MMC twenty-four years ago today!! That surely was an amazing day for all of us.
    We have had so many wonderful family times since then, dear J-. and many to come!
    Happy, Happy Days!!
    Much love,
    AC and the Florida crowd!!

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  2. Happy Birthday from Vermont, Justin. You have particularly good taste in stuffed animals. And your taste in parents isn't too bad either. Hope it's a great and glorious day.

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  3. Happy Birthday Justin! Always did like your friends, stuffed or otherwise!! Have a fun day!
    Love Ya, AJ & UB

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  4. Nice story, Birdman. I have no doubt that J's birthday will be a very wonderful one! Happy 24th!

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  5. Sometimes names just fall into place like that. It is a very serious business, naming some one else. Happy Birthday to your son.

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  6. So true, so very true.

    Happy Birthday, Jus. MB

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  7. You just did it right! Happy birthday to Justin from Florida!

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  8. We picked the perfect name for him, that's for sure. He did end up with 2 middle names, though, as making a decision on one name is our name choosing limit. Which middle name to give him?....heck...just give him both and call it a day. Which we did.
    Love you so much, my boy.
    Happy Birthday!
    Sorry all your towels will have to have a four letter monogram.....

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  9. Happy birthday to Justin from Tuscany... Not exactly, to be precise from two Tuscan friends, actually in Paris!

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  10. Great one of him surrounded by the toys.

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  11. And a fine looking birthday boy he is. He looks like a Justin.

    Since you mention T. S. Eliot, I think it is interesting that the author of "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" and "The Waste Land" also authored "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats". Cats is a lot easier to read.

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  12. Brilliant story, great photo, wonderful memories. Thanks for sharing, and happy late birthday.

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