I Collect Names

I've always been a collector, although my mother might have a stronger term for it...anyway, I collect names. It's probably because naming things is one of the hardest and most stressful parts of writing for me. And titles. I can never think of titles.

So anyway when I hear a name I like, or read one, I add it to my list, in the hopes that one day when I need a name the perfect one will be right there, waiting for me.

The reason I'm mentioning this now is because the other day I was in photography class, and we were looking at some photos by a largely undiscovered 50s street photographer named Vivian Maier. (If you're at all interested in photography, take a look - they're very good photos) One girl came in a little late and asked me who the photographer was.

I said, almost immediately, "Victoria Harvey". I really have no idea where that came from. But it was a pretty good sounding name, and the fact that it had spontaneously popped out of my mouth had almost a destined feel to it. Needless to say, it went on the list.