The Effects of Turquoise

What's in a Name?

Have you ever read a book and found yourself halfway through, or more, still not knowing why the author had chosen the title?  Has your teacher ever asked you during a conferring session why the book has its title, but you couldn't answer the question because you hadn't figured it out yet?  Ask yourself the same questions about some movies you have seen, or Apps you have downloaded.  A title is often pivotal to the success of a book or movie.  Why?  What's so important about the title or name of something?

Many of us make choices based upon our first impression of said object.  I'm sure you've perused the library for a book, eventually choosing one with the catchiest title of the bunch.  I'd even wager to say you have done the same thing at Red Box or the App Store.  I'm guilty of the same behavior, but am often influenced more by color than by name.  Sometimes, this isn't the best method of choosing something.

The first time I recall choosing the wrong object based upon color was in 3rd grade when my class was gearing up for a field trip.  My parents had forgotten to send me with a sack lunch, so my teacher sent me to the cafeteria to pick up one from the lunch staff.  A white-apron and hairnet donned lady asked me one question: "Red or blue?"  I had no idea to what she was referring. "What?"  I requested.  "Red.  Or.  Blue." she enunciated, which didn't clarify a thing.  I began to panic.  Red or blue what?  Jello?  Kool-aid?  Pixie Sticks?  I had no idea.  I was a shy, passive child.  It had taken every ounce of my courage to request the initial clarification, so there was absolutely no way I would inquire more since I had depleted my bravery reserves.  Time was running out, as was the school chef's patience.  "Blue!"  I shouted.  There.  Done.  Blue it is.  Blue what?  I was absolutely dying to know.  My eyes followed the secret-holder as she walked to a large, silver cube.  "Is that a cooler?" I asked myself.  My pulse began to race because this really narrowed the possibilities.  I knew it had to be a food item that required refrigeration, and I was hoping for Kool-Aid.  She opened the door closest to me, so my field of vision was impeded.  I heard something drop into the paper bag.  Time seemed to stall.  I could hear my heart pounding.  I held my breath as her cold, wrinkled hand pushed the door back to its place of rest.   She handed me a white lunch sack.  "Thanks?" I guessed.  Then, as quickly as she entered my life, she turned and continued on with her daily duties.   I scurried out of her lunch corridor to the main cafeteria space.  I plunged my hand into the bag, and grabbed the cold three dimensional object.  I yanked my hand out of the bag, and staring me in my face was the blue mystery: a carton of milk.  I was shocked!  Stunned!  Dismayed!  Milk?  Blue?  What?  Never had any dairy product crossed my mind as bearing the description of blue.  How could this be?  Upon closer examination I realized it wasn't just any carton of milk, but a carton of 2% milk, easily identifiable by its blue printing.  Disgusting!  I was appalled!  As a child I only drank whole milk, which comes in a carton with RED writing.  Suddenly it all made sense.  My tendency to choose objects based upon color had backfired.  Not only did I have to drink milk for my field trip lunch, but it was going to be 2%.  Terrible.  Absolutely terrible.  You better believe I never let my parents forget to pack me a field trip lunch again.

What does my blue milk story have to do with titles?  I've posted three times to a blog I named "The Effects of Turquoise" without any mention of the title.  I wonder if any of my readers have questioned the meaning of my blog's moniker?  It all goes back to making choices based upon color.  I'm not ready to reveal the full meaning; you haven't reached that chapter yet.  You'll have to keep reading.