Retired Pastor Ruminates

It is probably too easy to start a blog. My friend and fellow blogger Martin Langeveld suggested that I start one, and sent me the link to Blogger, and within a few minutes Retired Pastor Ruminates was born back on March 23. I didn't have a mission statement. I didn't have a plan. I didn't have a clue.

I picked the name out of thin air, and thought it was ever so clever with the two R's. Ironically, to ruminate means to think deeply about a subject, but I didn't think deeply at all about the name of the blog.

Yesterday my sister-in-law Annette from Madison, Wisconsin, wrote on my Facebook page: “I like your blog. I dislike the word "ruminates." Here in Wisconsin we associate this word with cows, or ruminant animals. And, locally there is some concern environmentally about the digestion of ruminants and byproducts in terms of gas emissions and nitrogen. Add the issues of industrial farming/dairy operations vs. organic growers, etc. and this is a common topic around here--with farmers and environmentalists at odds. When you post to Facebook the first thing I read is the definition of ruminate, and I giggle every time imagining a cow "thinking." And, really, who wants to know what you think? Give us a headline that has some action. Keep going, but stop ruminating.” I answered her, “How about Bloviates?” “That is my blog,” she replied (she can be very funny).

Maybe she's right. Perhaps Retired Pastor Ruminates is just a bad name for a blog. Or worse, somehow environmentally incorrect, taking up too big a carbon footprint in the blogosphere. And who wants to think about cows and methane gas when you are reading a recipe?

I wonder if I should change it? But what would I call it? I thought of “Everybody is Entitled to My Opinion,” but I Googled it and it's taken. Since I've been putting up recipes as well as theology posts I thought of Rick's Cafe Americaine as a Casablanca reference, or Everybody Comes to Rick's, but they, too, are taken.

So, for now, I'll stay with Retired Pastor Ruminates. It's the only one there is. It's easy to remember, and is a fairly accurate description of what goes on here. Besides, I've had over 5000 visits since March 23, and I need to maintain my brand! (5768 to be precise, but who's counting?)

Let me know what you think, and if you get an idea for a better name, let me know.