Januaries, Nature greets our eyes
exactly as she must have greeted theirs
…
(Elizabeth Bishop, “Brazil, January 1, 1502″)
This is where the multiple Januaries come from. All the way back to the year 1501, weaving inaproppriateness, conquest, exoticism, leaves, and lizards in a January rush. I’ve always felt that January was a month running quickly downhill. My birthday is in January and each year I get the impression that the days are rolling towards it faster than I can count, which makes me feel irrationally old (but not wiser).
I got a lovely letter from Wildly Parenthetical, saying she liked the idea of multiple Januaries and I thought it’s worth elaborating on if only by means of random associations. Frankly, I didn’t think that anyone would be interested in my choice of blogging name (more on that later) and so I never bothered to explain it. It is more or less a play of associations: the month, a vague resemblance to my actual name, Elizabeth Bishop’s arrival in Brazil, this song. I’ve never had any ‘effective’ nickname, so I enjoy the impersonality of many Januaries.
It’s a good question, though, how people choose their blogging names and what to make of the choice to blog under one’s real name? Anthony says he’s more reserved towards bloggers who use their real names (Anthony, please write a post about this so I can link here), I would make an exception with fiction writers, because their kind of writing entails an additional degree of distance and play (though does it always?…).
I couldn’t find the poem online, so if you wish to read it in its entirety, I can only suggest you look for The Complete Poems 1927-1979. Bishop is my favorite poet. I admire her technical skill, her use of imagery, and the curious humor. Like in these lines from the final stanza:
Just so the Christians, hard as nails,
tiny as nails, and glinting
Hmm… There is (was?) also an LA band called The Januaries. Not that I’m surprised…
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Hi Januaries,
Replying on your qns how ppl come out with their blog names. I guess it take times and a list to do so before coming out one!
Blog reflects another side of us if you agreed, thats why blog! We blog bcos in reality we have to follow the rules and regulation if not we be outcasted by the society. Sorry for using these words, but this is how I see.
Any way, I guess this how ppl do:
1) take out a pen and long list that never end.
2) jot down all the names
3) Striking off one by one with reason why you shldn’t use it!
Hmmm.. maybe that how ppl come out with their names, I not very sure actually!
By the way, please do check out my website : http://mypollyourvote.wordpress.com
PS: I do enjoy reading yours!
Comment by millicent56 January 3, 2008 @ 11:57 ammillicent56, welcome and thank you!
I agree with you that a great deal of blogging is about things we for various reasons aren’t able to say openly, i.e. in face-to-face encounters, using our real names.
But another important reason is the enjoyment of performance. Just think how old carnival is. We love masks, we’re playful creatures. I think of blogging as a carnival strategy (not to be mistaken with blog carnivals): testing the boundaries, and discovering our different voices and personae that are ourselves but not necessarily have our jobs and families. As I said, more to come on this topic.
I will check out your website
Comment by januaries January 3, 2008 @ 1:06 pmI’m way late on this in one sense, and way early in another, since it’s not finished yet, but I AM working on my ideas there and will get them live sooner or later — I will, of course, let you know when I do!
Comment by Anthony January 28, 2008 @ 6:40 am