We sold Chloe awhile back; for those not in the know, that was our little green Toyota Echo. It was a great car, and got awesome gas mileage, but I now feel like a grown-up with an adult car!
I believe that names are important. Sort of like, "you must be special if you're important enough to be named." Naming something is powerful; you're setting the memory of that thing permanently in your mind to forever be remembered and cherished (or ridiculed). No longer was it just a turtle, it was
Max, the turtle that ate dog food. It wasn't just a cat that looked like a thousand other cats, it was
Mindy, and she was
my first cat. Ken has indulged my need to name the cows in the pasture, random animals we come across, and even inanimate objects. We call his GPS Jezebel because it sometimes leads us astray. We call his SUV Ruby because it is red. I once named a bird that had died after flying into our front window (which was closed). Then I buried him, and wrote a memorial poem. I will always remember Fred, and the sacrifice he made for a cause we will never know.
From the beginning, the name Chloe seemed to fit the Echo perfectly. It was independent, breezy, peppy and fun. I enjoyed driving Chloe and we took many great trips together. One of my best buds, Laura, even made me a mix tape for traveling (See photo at right). She and her husband lived in Omaha, NE for a few years, and I drove up to visit them on several occasions. At one point, another friend and I (Jess) took an impromptu road trip (the reason why is a whole other story!) through Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas.We bonded while driving all night, listening to the Counting Crows and talking about life. Another time, the four of us drove to Wahoo, NE because we saw it on the map, and I just had to visit. For years afterward, we said "WaHOO, Nebraska!!" any time there was any celebrating to be done (OK, I still do).
If you're still with me, the point of this entire post is that I am having trouble deciding on a name for the new Camry. I could continue to call it The Camry, but to me, it's not just a name for a car, it's a name that will feature in the new memories I will make as I drive it. Someday, we may pass the car down to Travis, saying "remember when..." and I want the name that goes with it to match both the car, and who I am now (or who I want to be). Classy but laid back. Traditional but fun. Spontaneous but grown up.
Any suggestions?
