capitalization for tree huggers

In high school I refrained from capitalizing my name because I wanted to emulate e.e. cummings. I admired his poetry. And, like many angst-ridden teens, I fancied myself a blossoming poet. I used cummings’ disregard for the conventions of capitalization as the main example in an English essay written to defend my “right to not capitalize.” I wish I still had the essay, because it convinced my teacher to let me use my lowercase name on all assignments.

I didn’t capitalize my name for about ten years. Then one day I got tired of fighting the automatic “mistake wizard” in Microsoft Word. So, I gave up. At the time I argued that it was a mature decision. I was breaking into the world of print journalism. The paper’s style guidelines did not include an allowance for one reporter who wanted to flaunt convention.

I now wish I had staunchly maintained that quirk. It was something I believed in, a cause (albeit a small one) that I fought for many years. I had to defend my non-capitalization countless times to teachers, instructors and professors. In the end, they all agreed to not penalize me for not following “the rules.”

Why is it that, as I get older, I don’t fight for the things that used to be important? I understand that my priorities have changed. In high school and college, I had only myself to consider. Now, I have two children and a husband in my care. Does that necessarily have to change the causes I champion? Does that mean that I can’t take time to buck the system just a little? Perhaps not. I follow a number of issues, and I have many strong opinions about politics and the environment. I think that now is a great time for me to carve out some time to devote to educating others about my beliefs!

If you’re interested, visit this link to learn more about the peak oil crisis. It’s time that we learn how to stop our dependence on foreign oil. It’s also time for us to really start looking for alternate energy sources before it’s too late!

Can’t hug me? Go hug a tree!

lwh