All the cool kids are telling their stories about how & why they chose the names that they did for their blogs. Read this.
Naturally, I want to be a cool kid, too. So here’s my story of how this blog came to be named, The Spectacled Bean.
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SHORT VERSION: I am nearsighted and wear eye glasses (aka spectacles) all the time. My blogging nom de plume is Ally Bean. Ergo, I am The Spectacled Bean.
LONG VERSION: I knew that I wanted to start a blog, but was dithering around about the whole thing. I kept thinking that if I could figure out the perfect name for a blog, then I’d do it.
Well, one sunny winter’s day Z-D & I went to the zoo. Many of the animals were at their best, loving the coldness. As a result of this, we stopped to watch some animals that until now I’d never paid much attention to.
One of said animals was the spectacled bear. He was moseying around his enclosure and looked rather dapper. Reading the information* about him I knew that he was just the sort of animal that had the right attitude.
I was smitten– and in a moment of divine inspiration I realized that by using a modified version of his name for my blog’s name, I could describe myself. Hence, this blog is called The Spectacled Bean.
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* Often described as small, adaptable and elusive, spectacled bears can “… while away the hours in treetops, occasionally feeling the urge to become productive when they build huge platforms out of broken branches, to help them get at out of reach fruit.”
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
A delightful memory of how you found your name, and I learned there is such an organization as the International Association for Bear Research and Management – all before 8:00. What else will I learn today, I wonder?
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Zen-Den, it’s a brave new exciting [frozen] world out there today! Learning is fun, especially when it’s a Friday and the internet is about all that you have to do that doesn’t require wearing 7 thick layers of polartec + wool clothes!
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Oh, I love that description of the bear – and how you relate to it. I feel a sudden desire to become the Spectacled Zaz since that whole hang out in the treetops and occasionally get productive sounds so very much like me. Still, I guess it’d be a little tacky to steal your blog name.
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Zazzy, I know– the whole lifestyle of this bear rings true with me. Build with what you’ve got on hand [use broken branches]. Have a specific goal in mind before you do anything [get fruit]. Hang out the rest of the time [enjoy treetops]. This is one good bear!
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I have never heard of this bear and the story is fascinating and meaningful. Love it! My blog title used to be Margaret’s Experimental Blog–GREAT, right? 😉 Then I realized how much I love my stargazer lilies and also astronomy and looking up into the sky–an ah ha moment that gave me my name.
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Margaret, I’d never noticed this bear before, either. I like your current blog name. It’s easy to remember and meaningful. Although if you were a Mr. Wizard sort of person, your first blog name would be great.
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I love spectacled bears. They rock. I like that you got your blog name from them!
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Thanks J. Now that I know about them, I find them charming & make a point of checking in on them when I’m at the zoo so I can see what they’re up to.
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Ally, that is the coolest story! Who would have thought there would be a spectacled bear? And that is where your cool blog name derived from. I had to decide my blog’s name within 24 hours–had to–because a blog post was birthing–and decided on Lake Superior (because it’s 1/4 mile away) and Spirit because, well, because spirit is the most important thing to me.
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Kathy, that’s a great story about your blog name. It makes perfect sense to me. Plus your blog name is memorable, which I think is important. Perhaps you work best under a deadline?
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Hi Ally – your tweet prompted me to log in to my blog (which I haven’t touched in 2 weeks I think) and I clicked over to your blog and WOW – totally different layout. Love it. And love the reason why you named your blog. I am still not getting your notifications in my email like I used to, so I am going to un-follow you and then re-follow and see if that corrects the problem!
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Cheri, thanks for stopping by. I love the new layout, too. Although I’m unable to explain how I equate bricks and stones with me, I feel like this template is more me.
After you let me know about your trouble following this blog, I double-checked all my settings and things look good from this end. I hope that your plan works, because I haven’t the foggiest about might be wrong here.
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This is wonderful! I’d never heard of the spectacled bear.
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alejna, neither had I up until that day. But now that I know about him, he’s one of my faves.
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What an interesting how I got my blog name story. I’m among those who had never heard of a spectacled bear and now I know they are the only species of bear in South America. Long may you blog.
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timethief, thanks for the blessing. I blog to keep my brain working and my heart open. Plus I like to start conversations, so as long as the world shows up to read + comment I’ll be here.
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