Some of you are aware of what I’ve been dealing with lately due to someone from my past finding an essay that was recently published. While the experience itself begs for an essay on the nightmare of your past colliding with your present, issues such as defamation of character, and whose truth is the real truth, etc., the piece the woman called about has been taken down at my request. As always, the editors at Connotation Press: An Online Artifact, are wonderful and supportive.
After much back and forth with this woman, I have decided that I want to rename her character and be done with it and with her. I wish you well, XXXXX, but hearing from you is not what I want. I loved you once but many years have have come and gone – a decade and a half – and we cannot build a bridge from the past to the present. After thinking it over these last few days, I realize I do not want your opinion on my story. Out of respect for your wish for privacy, I will keep the edits we’ve already done together so you can never be identified, but no more. We can only tell our side of the story, if we wish to do so, and accept it as our own truth. My truth is not your truth and your truth is not mine. And I am not writing journalism. This isn’t about the facts as you remember them. It’s about the emotional truth as I remember it.
If you read this, I ask you to please not be in touch again.
For the rest of you, here are a list of potential replacement names, for the title “XXXXX Songs.” What name do you think I should use?
Marina Songs
Lucia Songs
Antonia Luisa Songs
Sabrina Songs
Anastasia Songs
Bianca Stella Songs,
Emilia Songs
Greta Songs
Liliana Songs
Sophia Songs
Gabriela Songs
Dominique Songs
Petra Songs
Anya Songs
Isabella Songs
Aurora Songs
Eliza Songs
Sasha Songs
Alexandra Songs
Gianna Songs
Nadia Songs
Loretta Songs
Freya Songs
Lydia Songs
Bettina Songs
Tatiana Songs
Sybilla Songs
Ursula Songs
Aurelia Songs
Liana Songs
Miranda Songs
Delia Songs
Marcela Songs
Lucinda Songs
Celina Songs
Thank you for reading and for any feedback you can provide.
The Early Draft 
I’m going to go with Ursula Songs – a nod to The Little Mermaid. Stick with YOUR story, Cindy; it’s honest and true and all that you have. Let her write HER story.
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Thank you for the vote for a title name and for the vote of confidence. I appreciate all you have to say. See you soon, Kassie.
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The poet in me like both Sasha and Sophia. However, I like what Kassie said about a nod to Little Mermaid and what that story says about being true to yourself and your feelings, so I’m going to second a vote for Ursula Songs.
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But the character I’m naming isn’t do noble, if that’s what the Little Mermaid’s Ursula is. And no offense meant, but I don’t like the sound of the name. I think I’m going for a certain sound and Ursula just isn’t it. I thank you and Kassie for helping me to think it through. You’re helping me get my thought process going.
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Cindy, it’s funny, but Ursula was my first thought and then I thought of Cecilia (song by Simon and Garfunkel) and I’m not trying to add to your angst by giving you another name – but listen to the song. The name Ursula and the connection to The Little Mermaid makes me say no. I do like Nadia! xoxo I love your brief essay before the names – your words are just as you speak.
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Gosh, maybe I should go with Ursula. Hahahaha. The name Cecilia comes up in another essay so I can’t use that one. I will consider Nadia. I’m not sure what name I will ultimately choose, but I thank you for reading this and for your kinds words. 🙂
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I kept reading songs as sings. After going down theist twice. I thought why not just song, which deals with the complexity of naming. If I have to choose it would be Tatiana for its lyricism . That’s my free Association take. Theist equals the lis
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Hi Faye, thanks for reading the post and for your input. I need more than Songs for whatever reason. No matter, I will find a name to go with it. Tatiana is a good one, but it almost sounds too ethnic for this piece and I do have some past associations with a woman named Tatiana. I will keep it in mind, however. Thank you again, Faye.
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Here’s my rationale, Cindy. In the Little Mermaid, Ursula tries to weaken Ariel (the mermaid) by stealing her voice. I look forward to seeing you soon.
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That does hold some strong connection. I see that now. I guess I just don’t like the name. I wish another name held such meaning. 🙂
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