What’s in a Name?

I have always loved names. I’m the kind of person that wants to know the name of a color before I even consider how it would look on my walls. When I was pregnant, I bought several baby name books. With our books, I wanted to have the title settled before beginning to write.

It’s no surprise that a lot of thought went into naming our blog. I thought about calling it “Still Shy” because I remain shy, even though it does not hold me back like it used to.  In the end, though, we went with Shyness is Nice. Greg wrote about the blog name on our About page, and I’m putting his story here so you won’t miss it:

Shyness is nice and
Shyness can stop you
From doing all the things in life
You’d like to
–Ask, by The Smiths

I was a big fan of the 80s British rock group, The Smiths. The lead singer, Morrissey, was a notoriously flamboyant introvert. He preferred writing lyrics alone, but could be outlandish in drawing attention to himself on stage. The Smiths were known for pairing pleasant melodies with brooding lyrics.

In considering titles for our blog, Barb and I brainstormed many ideas. One evening, I remembered The Smiths’ song, Ask, a surprisingly upbeat recording that describes shyness as a positive thing.

Barb and I met in graduate school. We had both been counseled by our professors about being “too quiet.” In meeting each other, we found acceptance of our more gentle dispositions. On our first date, we listened to The Smiths.

Shyness IS nice. Most shy people are sensitive and caring AND that very shyness may prevent them from speaking up and sharing ideas the world needs to hear.

This site is dedicated to giving shy people a place to be heard, and spreading the word about the value of quiet, sensitive people.