New Year... New Blog Design!

When I was a little girl, I hated my name.

Perhaps an abrupt way to begin a blog post, but in the end, it will all come together.

So, anyway.

The name.

Christina.

Hey, it was the 80s and everyone else seemed to be named Tiffany, Jenny, or Jessie.

"Christina" just didn't roll off the tongue.  It didn't sound fun or happy... to me, a little girl in mid-80s, it just sounded OLD.

It wasn't beautiful, it ended with a 'schwa' sound... you know, that ugly "UH" sound that you almost have to frown to make.  That was the complete opposite of the joyful, smiley, airy long e of TiffanY, JennY, and JessIE.

I vowed, right then and there that when I grew up, I was going to change my name.

I chose a name that was simply elegant.

I loved it more than anything.

And I just knew that, as soon as I was 18, I was marching to the courthouse to change my name.

No more "ChristinUH" with that frowny schwa at the end.

I came up with something beautiful.

Something to rival the Tiffany's of the world.

What did I love in the 80s... my My Little Ponies, of which I had an extensive collection full of unicorns and I loved the show "Jem and the Holograms", who had a giant star RIGHT in their logo!

(You are definitely going to want to Pin this blog post so you can remember this name for your future daughters.)

Are you ready?

So, naturally with my love of My Little Ponies and the truly, truly, truly outrageous Jem, I created a beautiful marriage of those two favorites, chosing the name Unicorn Starr, and adding the twist of Starr with TWO R's.

Go ahead, say it out loud.  Let it roll off the tongue.  The two R's are important, so draw out that last sound just a little bit.

Unicorn Starr.

And, at that time, my full name would have been Unicorn Starr Marie Rowe!

Seriously.  Until this moment, have you ever heard of a more lovely name?

I loved that beautiful name and dreamed of the day I would be able to call myself by my rightful name!

But then, one day I grew up.  I grew into my name.  I found out who I was and realized that I AM Christina.  My parents chose right!  And no other name, not even one was amazing as "Unicorn Starr" could suit me.

BUT... I have often thought back to all that time I spent wanting a different name.  And I have shared that story with lots of friends over the years... even the fifth graders I student taught waaaaay back in 2004 heard that story when we read a text about someone who didn't like their name.

Unicorn Starr has always been a part of my story and so, today, I have a re-designed blog that honors that fun little memory and "re-brands" me & this blog, now that I'm back in the classroom.  Yes, I got the opportunity to return to my passion, TEACHING!!!, in since September after two years as a principal, and it was time to turn "Bunting, Books, and Bright Ideas" into a new space on the web... in honor of Unicorn Starr, this blog is now "The Uni-Corner"!

I am hopeful that 2019 will allow me to find "teacher time" again to blog and share ideas from my 1st grade classroom and that you will join me over here at "The Uni-Corner"!

Gotta give credit to my girl, as I totally stole the phrase "Uni-Corner" from my dear friend and best Special Education teacher EVER, Bethany, as the name for this blog.  She has a love for unicorns as well and has a spot in her classroom full of all of her unicorn stuff, aptly named her "Uni-Corner"!  And super happy with the re-design from Kassie!

Please stay tuned and join me, Christina/Unicorn Starr, over here at The Uni-Corner!