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Blogging 101: What’s in a Name?

screen shot blog tagsToday’s assignment is assertive and succinct: Take Control of Your Title and Tagline

The title Gardening Nirvana and the tag line pics and prose sit undisturbed at the top of my blog. They’ve been holding hands since May, 2011.  I briefly altered my tag line last October in honor of Halloween but the following month I put everything back, nice and tidy.  Nearly four years and over 800 posts later, it fits like a well-worn garden glove.

So, what’s in a name? If I were selling something, I might have put more thought into a catchy title.  Instead, I joined two words from the dictionary and called it a day. I planned to write about my experiences gardening and the joy that comes from putting your hands in the earth, hence:

gardening [ˈgɑːdənɪŋ]
noun: the planning and cultivation of a garden

nir·va·na (nîr-vän, nr-)
noun: An ideal condition of rest, harmony, stability, or joy.

When the winter months rolled around that first year, I had a bit of a freak out: what would I write about during the more dormant months?

I needn’t have worried. Once I hit my stride and developed a blogging community, the subject of my posts didn’t matter.  It was more about sharing my experiences in and out of the garden. Local hikes, a trip to Victoria, and our Little Free Library all made it into the blog. I’ve shared personal essays, linked up with other bloggers and even shared one or two do-it-yourself projects.

And with that, I think I’ve written my new tag line: sharing my journey in and out of the garden.

As for a new title, I still don’t know. My tag cloud makes one thing crystal clear: the word Gardening still stands out from the crowd.

30 thoughts on “Blogging 101: What’s in a Name?”

  1. Well, so far so good Alys! Did you just change the tag line? It feels like it’s always been there, so must be perfect! Gardens are of course a lovely metaphor for lives – therefore ‘gardening’ must work just as well as a metaphor for living. You tend your garden – or you don’t. You plant particular, unique little seedlings and watch them grow and blossom and mature ….. You water them and feed them and tend them and prune them…… And because it’s ‘Nirvana’ the aim is to achieve perfect harmony, balance and joy. It’s a good intention to garden with! It’s all there. Your blog name is perfect 🙂 I’m enjoying your course 🙂

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    • Thank you Pauline!!! You are so good to me.

      This course is fun. I’m so glad to be giving it a go. It’s lit a bit of a fire under me and I’m learning a lot. It’s good to approach things from a different perspective and to think of things I haven’t paid much attention to in these past few years.

      I did just change the tag line. It used to be in white as well, and now it’s a darker shade of green.

      If I ever need a press agent, you’re my gal. You describe what I feel so eloquently.

      How are you feeling today by the way? Can you believe it: DC in a month.

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      • Alys, Pauline’s comment is so perfect for you! You garden and nurture so many things… you plant seeds, ideas, inspiration, and example. You then nurture all of those things until the grow to whatever level of Nirvana that is possible.
        Love the tag line! Somewhere on my blog it says “join me for adventures on and off the bike”. Just because we have a primary love (gardens, motorcycles), we both have many interests and passions.
        I so look forward to hearing more about yours in person!!

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    • Pauline, you always have such wonderful thoughts and approaches to things! Gardening is a perfect metaphor for life AND for Alys. – cannot wait to listen to your words of wisdom in person.

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    • Thanks for that feedback, Cathy. I thought long and hard about it, one of the benefits of these assignments, and have decided to keep it. The tag line feels fresher to me, though, and fits with my goals so it stays.

      I like Words and Herbs, and realize that as we get to know bloggers, we also associate them with their blogging name. Do you find that to be true? That said I’ll follow you under any name. 🙂

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  4. It has been lovely to read your thoughts about your blog. And I am so glad that you took up blogging, because I wouldn’t have you as my online friend. (I think that your Tagline is really nice, and sums up your blog) x x x

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  7. What’s in a name? Well, it’s something I personally never gave a ‘great’ amount of thought too as is evident by my tag line. I literally sat thinking, “mmmm, what do I like? What should my blog be about?” Then that song came into my head, “I like the mountains, I like the rolling hills…….” and there you have it. Since I like everything, Boomdeeadda was a no-brainer.

    I can’t imagine your Blog named anything much different. It’s a brand you’ve built on. When I hear it, I don’t necessarily think about gardening at all, I think of you. I don’t think that happens with a lot of things. Commercial endeavours need to sell stuff to pay bills, so I tend to associate a business with their products. I feel, a blogger is really just sharing an idea, a thought, a giggle. I think of it as a leisure time activity, whether reading or posting. Maybe we’re just selling a mental break, LOL. Either way, your visitors obviously enjoy time with you so I hope you feel Gardening Nirvana is succeeding. xoxoxo K

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  8. What more can I add here. It’s all been so well said. I thought too about my title and tag line when I tried blogging 101. Couldn’t come up with a new title but like you, changed the tag line. I like your title and the fact that your posts are so eclectic. I feel as though I’m visiting a friend when I come and read, getting my mental break. Sometimes you make us think about things and mostly we learn things here. Since I’m in search of it all, this visit always fills the bill.

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    • Marlene, you’re wonderful! I’m so glad we’ve connected here, and hope that one day we get to meet in person, too.

      I think its good that we are sticking with our titles. No sense changing it for changes sake, don’t you think? It’s interesting too how I was less attached to the tag line. I enjoyed putting more thought into it this week and feel the changes are a better fit.

      I love In Search of it All and often find myself typing a sentence with ‘in search of’ and think of you.

      Delighted to have you here.

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