How I got the name

Three Little Birds. I couldn't think of a better title. I looked around at other blogs and saw all of the clever names that people come up with. I thought about it for a few minutes and decided that since this blog is about me and my life I should come up with something that describes me and my life. I decided on my theme song. My only other choice was "hot and happy mom." Just kidding.

Back in the early 90's, I read somewhere that you should find a theme song and try to live your life by it. I was going through the only version of teen angst that I knew and having a rough time with school and boys. Mainly school, but boys as well. I was trying to follow in my sister's footsteps at that time instead of finding my own way. I did well in school, but I had to work REALLY hard at it. My sister was Valedictorian of her high school class and I remember her rarely having to study. I couldn't understand why I worked three times as hard as others for the same results, sometimes less. What I did not know then was the hard work that I had to do to get somewhere or something only made me that much stronger for it. I was also a competitive swimmer then. My plan was to go to the Olympics. I worked and worked and swam and swam. I was good at swimming, but not Olympic material. I was always told that if you want something, work for it. I did not know the part about sometimes having to fail a lot in order to win. Fall down, get back up. These experiences prepared me for future, harder times ahead. I now know that you do the best you can, work hard and deal with what you've got. And be happy about it. If not, go work harder and do more. But stop whining! Someone is always going to be cuter, richer and better than you. But when you feel like crap, you know that somone is always uglier, poorer and worse than you as well.

I was going through this rough patch and one day I was home studying for a big test. My parents were having a huge fight and talking about divorce. Just like magic, Three Little Birds by Bob Marley came through my stereo. I had heard the song before, but never paid attention to the lyrics. The lyrics struck me like a smack in the face. This song has popped up at various, appropriate times in my life since then. Ever since that day, I have tried not to worry, knowing that every little thing is gonna be alright. So far, it has!

Now you know the story behind my theme song and the name of this blog. However, it gets better! I am slowly learning how to navigate my way around the blogging world. I wanted to find a great picture to go with the title. What could I do? I thought about using someone on a tropical island with a tropical drink in hand. When I am having a rough time, I pretend I am near water sipping on a tasty beverage. But it just didn't seem to fit. I don't really have an affection for birds. I don't dislike them, they just aren't my thing. But I typed in "3 little birds" anyway. Voila! Pictures of rubber ducks showed up. Then I knew it was meant to be. Now you get to hear the story about me and rubber ducks.

My dad is a collector. He picks up stuff and puts it away for future use, even if there is no future use for it. When I was about 11 or 12, my dad had a rubber duck on the dashboard of his car. He had it there for a long time. I finally asked why one day. He said he found it on the side of the road and put it in his car. After awhile, he liked the thought of a rubber duck on his dashboard because it reminded him of how he wanted to live his life. He said he tried not to take things so seriously. Just like water going down a duck's back. He always said to just roll with things and blow them off. Now, I am a sensitive person. I was VERY sensitive as a kid. My dad is an intense, type A person. Great guy, but intense. He was always telling me to stop being so sensitive, to blow things off. And he always used the duck reference. When I turned 16, we fixed up my first car. He did most of the fixing, but we worked on it for months before I could drive it. When it was fixed up 4 months after my 16th birthday, he handed over the keys. I got inside and a yellow rubber duck was sitting on the dashboard. My first rubber duck.

Since then, we have discovered more reasons to like rubber ducks. First, ducks remind me of my childhood at the lake. My dad said he loves watching ducks swim because above water they look so graceful. Below water, they are kicking furiously. He always said it was great to live life like that. You might be working your ass off, but make it look easy!

Having a rubber duck on the dash has become a family tradition. My mom and sister have a rubber duck in their cars. There are several people that are important in my life. They have been given rubber ducks for their cars as well. If I have given you a rubber duck, you are in the circle. Friends assumed I collected them, so people started giving me rubber ducks. It wasn't my intention to collect them, but I always have several so I guess I do. I decided to start putting a bunch on my dashboard. I sometimes drive a little crazy and they would fly off. So I velcro them to the dash. Ever since I graduated college, my jobs have required a lot of driving. I spend lots of time in my vehicle. Now, when I look at my dash, it reminds me to always try to keep my ducks in a row!
The fact that these two parts of my life came together in this blog is pretty cool. I have a feeling this blog is going to be a great thing! Coincidence? I don't think so.