How to choose a blog name? Or at least this is how I did it.

An incorrigible romantic.

An incorrigible optimist.

Check Google search and this is what it will guess. Among others such as incorrigible liar, or incorrigible flirt.

“Wow, those sound negative? Am I sure about this?”. That was my first thought when I considered the negative connotations behind the word.

But, then I thought, what is a meaning if it doesn’t mean something to me?

My life is full of contradiction, full of contrast. So, you can imagine how sublimely poetic it felt to consider the juxtaposition of two words that symbolise the good, the bad, and the ugly of me. All of me.

I know, first impressions are everything. But then what impression would my reader have of me if I couldn’t be honest with myself, and who I am?

I have always been the dark horse of my family, enjoying years of exploring my dark side. Nothing wrong with that!

Think about it, incurable and unashamed. Bit of a rebel!

Plus, I like how the word ‘incorrigible’ rolls of the tongue – try it. Aren’t I right? It feels good.

But, what made me such a nonconformist – incorrigible, if you like?

Is it nature or nurture? I am naturally strong-minded, dynamic, pig-headed. But I am sure that living a matriarchal childhood, being wisely feminist (I can explain!) and growing up in the metropolis of London have something to do with it. Nurtured and moulded into who I am today.

Nothing defines me more than the connection I have with the place I grew up, the place that dubbed me ‘The Finsbury Girl’ (South Islington), the place that gave me an education, and a home in the City of London to live in when I was ready to become and independent, self-sufficient woman.

I am unashamedly an Islingtonite. And I am proud of it!

An Incorrigible Islingtonite.

In philosophy, incorrigibility is merely that belief implies existence.

“cogito ergo sum” (“I think, therefore I am”) – René Descartes‘

I believe it is true and therefore it is true.

Yes, I did my research on the word ‘incorrigible’ as soon as I realised that my blogging world would start with the -very catchy if I may add – blog name ‘Incorrigible Islingtonite’. This is my life now, so I got to be sure, as anyone should when starting a personal blog.

I am big on belief.

That is something you will get to know about me in time. In life, if we have ‘belief’, we have ‘hope’. Both intangible, yet both breath life into us, otherwise how can we voyage through turbulent seas without the life-raft called ‘HOPE’? We will simply drown, drown in sorrow, or drown to the depths like Ophelia’s death.

Ok, so now you know I like to play with words too. I purposefully used that metaphor, so you can see that in my musings, I love to explore my writing. Writing about everyday life, writing about my passions, writing about what make’s me furious and what makes me joyous, writing about my hobbies, my interests, or even about a thought that came to me at a moment in time. What’s a good blog without all of our stories?

Life is a story and we are our own storytellers.

So how did the my blog ‘The Incorrigible Islingtonite’ come to be? What inspired this – incredibley catch! – blog name?

Well, the usual, rummaging into the pandora’s box we call ‘the internet’, I amassed information on my passions. Possibly my blog name could come from those?

ART: pre-Raphaelite art, my love of Greek Mythology, Anne Stokes and her Vampyric art, even my keen interest in fantasy art, street art and contemporary art. The word ‘Art’ popped up a few times, but I am not an artist so I wouldn’t wish for ‘hypocrite’ to be your first reader’s impression of me. I simply can not use the word ‘art’ in my blog name – it is too broad. I am just an art-lover and I thrive on the endless possibilities surrounding the world of Art. My personal art skill lies in the written word.

FEMINISM: My list is filled with women who are my idols, markers of my inspirations;  ‘Ophelia’, ‘Hera’, ‘Persephone’, ‘Wonder Woman’! All strong, beautiful, warrior women or women with a dark fate that is mesmerising to me.

But, I couldn’t choose between any of these amazing women, they all mean something to me and separating just one from a plethora of many didn’t feel right. It’s not like me to tear apart such a delicious mental image from the minds of my readers… plus, I am not Ophelia, I am not Persephone, so naming my blog as such would not do them justice.

Right, so let’s start from the grass-roots. Who am I?

I am a down-to-earth kinda gal, the girl-next-door type. That’s a good start.

I am warm, bubbly, outgoing, kind and caring. Yet I enjoy my own time, secluding myself in my own fantasy world. Alright, we are getting somewhere.

My life is volatile, full of termoil, a life less ordinary. This is my truth and is an all-encopassing description of my life. My friends call me ‘brave’ and ‘inspiring’ but I find it too narcissistic to name my blog as such.

Hm, how about my name ‘Maria’? Simple enough.

I ceaselessly think of all the times I heard ‘Maria Maria’ (Carlos Santana), or ‘Maria’ (Goldie), ringing in my mind after people would blurt out the lyrics when seeing me, especially my sweet and loving friends who would sing it to me endearingly. And what about a song from one of my favourite childhood musicals – ‘How do you solve a problem like Maria?’.

I nearly went with it as a blog name.

But, I need a blog name which is something more extraordinary. I live a life less ordinary, and I need a name which is all-encompassing of who I really am.

And music is only a certain part of me. Again, I wouldn’t want to fake it with my readers thinking I’m a musician when I am not. Just like I am not an artist. Impressions, they are paramount!

I was ready to finally let go of the blog name ‘solve a problem like Maria’ when I stumbled – graciously of course – upon a goldmine while reading about ‘A Problem Like Maria’ by Maria Fyfe, a strong female politician. How fetching! A feminist, a woman in power, a politician – I studied Economics so I related to her instantly.

‘An incorrigible Bevanite. The Observer’, says the review.

Yes, that’s it – ‘incorrigible’!

And that’s how it all started.

I am Incorrigible; you can not change me, I am a dark horse, a strong-minded woman, a feminist, determined, unapologetic. I am bold, I am outspoken. I speak out about unfairness, about my truth, I stand up for what is right, I am fearless. I use my writing, my love of the written word to say how it is, to fight the good fight. I am a writer!

I am an Islingtonite; I am a Londoner, I am posh and proud, I grew up in Islington, I know the streets like the back of my hand, the art and culture in my area inspires me, the magestic classical concerts at the Barbican, the mesperising varied culturally diverse musical concerts at the Union Chapel on Upper Street, the Street Art in the backstreets, my home from home at St Luke’s Community Centre where I volunteer and enjoy art and culture, the local fashion boutiques which pique my passion for fashion, the trendy bars and coffee shops. I relate to my area, it is what makes me who I am, it is my identity.

With love,

The Incorrigible Islingtonite.