Monday, January 2, 2017

What's In A Name?

Many moons ago when I was in the beginning of my career I met a mentor that I could compare to no other.  She was classy and professional, but she knew how to laugh and have fun.   A tiny in height and petite in build with a personality bigger than men twice her size.  She was several years older than me and full of knowledge and common sense and was truly one of the best mentors a young, fresh from college girl could ask for.  She took me under her wing.  We worked side by side, she was new to the job that we were doing, but not new to the field.  She had raised two sons with a husband that was unkind to her that she divorced long ago.  She completed her college education while raising those sons into their older years and remarried a man that was her soul mate, who treats her extremely well.
 
A lesson she taught me well!

Over the years that we were co workers she taught many things.  How to laugh at myself, how to comfort someone in distress, how to work late and be up early preparing for court and still smile and look put together on little to no sleep.  I can describe her as caring and sweet, always willing to pitch in and help me out of any dilemma or drama that arose. Always patient and kind.  She was slow to anger unless it was towards an injustice. Truly a super woman.
The kicker was she wore the most provocative outfits, four inch heels and brightest nail polish around. One judge actually told her not to come back to court in neon green nail polish again as it was unprofessional. I can say we had quite the laugh over that one because if she was anything, she was extremely professional and always organized, but her wardrobe was outlandish and yet she was refined in all other ways.  A true contradiction in those terms.  
She was at my bridal shower, giving me the most shocking and naughty of all lingerie.  It did not surprise me one bit that she gave me something provocative.  She reminded me when I quit to stay home that on the first day we met I told her my goal was to be married and become a stay at home mom.  Well, she was right.  I did and when the opportunity arose that’s the path I choose.  Now, you may be wondering why I am rambling on about such a lady, well, she is where the name Baker comes from. She was one of my most memorable mentors and the dearest of friends.  I find great honor in using her name and though she will never read this, it was just my way of saying thanks for being so awesome through all the years of encouragement.  
So, I ask all of you, who provided guidance and mentoring for you?  If you are blogger, how did you come about your blogging name?  Did someone inspire you to be the best you can be?    Feel free to share, I’d love to hear of someone who inspired you in real life.

--Baker

18 comments:

  1. Hi Baker, I enjoyed reading this, it's always fun to read how and why blog names are chosen. What a wonderful tribute to an amazing sounding woman.

    My blog name is an extrapolation of a nick name my Dad had for me growing up. Also, I use Scrappy Do as my pic and occasionally refer to Scrappy in my posts as that's what Rick calls me when I get wound up about the actions of others or a perceived injustice lol.

    Hugs
    Roz

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    1. Roz,
      I love how you came up with your name! Sweet pet names from your parents can mean alot. Scrappy doo is fun too because it really gives anyone who knows the character quite a bit of a picture in her mind of what kind of a person you are in real life. I love the mental picture I get from that. Willing to fight for injustices and come to the aide of others.
      --Baker

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  2. Baker,
    Great post! I chose Meredith because I have always loved it. Choosing a blog name was by far harder than choosing a name for me. Strong names are important.
    Meredith

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    1. M,
      You know the pains I went through to pick my blog's name, so I'm right there with you. It was easy to pick Baker because she was such a unique individual. I've had several others who mentored me before, but she left the greatest impression on me over the long haul.
      --Baker

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  3. What a lovely post, Baker. My blog name is my nickname that I was given by my dad and my mother refuses to use. LOL I refused to use it when I was growing up but do use it now. I really don't care if anyone finds my blog...in fact, my oldest son did. ;)

    Hugs and blessings...Cat

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    1. Cat,
      Your comment about your son truly cracked me up. I'm sure that was quite the fascinating conversation. If I went by my childhood nickname that my mom called me I think I'd die of embarrassment. Baker is so much more dignified.
      --Baker

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  4. Enjoyed this tribute to someone who inspired you. Ella was my grandmother's name. She was a very proper lady, so I am fairly sure she would not approve of my blog. But I did love her very much.

    Ella

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    1. Aww, Ella,
      I love that! Yeah, my grandma would have had words to say to me if she knew what went on around here! My ears are just burning thinking about it! Lol!
      --Baker

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  5. I'm so glad you got to honor someone who has helped you so much. I jumped into blogging extremely fast when I did it and did not give the proper thoughts to names and such. I started as Elis - a name I planned to use if I'd run away from home as a child. Never planned to run away, but I did want to be ready. Now how I became PK is a strange story and I posted about it here:

    http://elisnewbeginnings.blogspot.com/2011/08/well-i-used-to-be-elis-but.html

    Lets just say if I'd even know I was going to be a published author I would have come up with a better, more elegant than Pissed Kitty.

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    1. PK,
      I went and read your post and about wet my pants laughing so hard. Totally, totally did not expect that was what PK stood for. Learned something new today.
      --Baker

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  6. Great story. I too have a life mentor but I didn't take her name. Instead Sunny Girl is the name of a little Sheltie who lived with us for sixteen years - I always said she was the child that didn't leave home.

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    1. Aww, another sweet story! I love fur babies! Question is how did you come up with Sunny Girl for her?

      --Baker

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  7. I post elsewhere under bea Adams. Bea after my passed grandmother and Adams after someone very special to me.

    My mentor, cheesy as it is, is my husband. I feel like there has not been any other people in my life I'd want to fashion my life after except for him. He's everything I aim to be.

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    1. S,
      That is not cheesy at all. Your sweet man is just as good a mentor as anyone, probably better because he's right there leading you the whole time. Kudos to you.
      --Baker

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  8. Baker, Lovely post. I wanted something close to me and the name Ronnie was the perfect choice.

    Love,
    Ronnie
    xx

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    1. Ronnie,
      Your post makes perfect sense to me.
      --Baker

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  9. Hi Baker, :)

    Wonderful post about a special person, who made a difference in your life!

    I chose Katie & Rob, because long ago, I watched, and loved the tv show, "My three sons". Rob, the second oldest son, married a girl Katie, who became an important part of the family. I remember watching her on holiday tv specials called "The King Family". That really dates me! LOL! Anyway, when I first thought of a name, Katie came to mind. Similar to my own... sort of... kinda. Back in those days, Katie was strong, smart, loving, funny, and she was a 60's wife- so Rob led. Fun post! Many hugs,

    <3 Katie

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    1. Hi, Katie,
      I love that! I remember watching reruns of that show when I was a kid (that dates me) I'll have to look it up to put it in my memory bank as an adult. That was quite the classic show, was it not? Back when wives submitted and no one thought they were nuts for doing so.
      --Baker

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