Ego Decernere

Eur-Exit Ep 46 “Happiness Curve” author Jonath...

Ego Decernere

During our trip to Ireland last month we weren’t planning to buy souvenirs, since every available air pocket in our luggage was to be used transporting our eldest kid’s belongings home from her semester in Ireland. (There’s a store in Ireland called Penney’s that I blame. I blame Penney’s very, very much. I may also resent it because our daughter took us there on our first day after we had been flying for eleven hours, and anything that wasn’t a bed at that point seemed downright antagonistic.)

But I couldn’t resist looking in a few of the stores that were blinged out in shamrocks and “Game of Thrones” -themed paraphernalia – they film a lot of the show in Northern Ireland, so you can buy posters and t-shirts with just about every catchphrase on the show. To my delight, each store had at least one vertical spinning rack devoted to keychains and refrigerator magnets embossed with Irish surnames, including Davis.

Now, I know full well my maiden name and my forebearers are Welsh, but what I liked about the Irish version I saw is that it included a definition for Davis that I can really get behind:

I Decide

I Am Davis, and I Decide. Well, that’s pretty much the
thrust of what I’ve been saying since I learned to talk. I never realized until
this trip that it’s my birthright.

My dad was a Davis who decided. My siblings are Davises who decide. (My mom married in and puts up with us.) We are temperamentally unable to stand indecision and would rather be seven miles down the wrong road then stuck back there at the fork deciphering a map. I am a really good person to have in a big group because after thirty seconds of people saying, “Where do you guys want to go for a drink?” I’m like, “OHMYGOD I CAN’T STAND IT ANY LONGER THAT PLACE OVER THERE IS FINE AND IN FACT I’VE ALREADY ORDERED FOR US.” Even if there are rats fleeing the establishment, I’d rather be sitting down.

According to the internet, so, definitely accurate, the name Davis derives from the Hebrew name David and means Darling, or Beloved. You could probably ask my husband but sometimes I am so eager to have things decided and behind me that I am neither darling nor beloved. I have okay’d a contractor’s suggestion for mismatched lighting fixtures in the bathroom because it was faster than going to the store, I chose the younger daughter’s middle name without consulting him because the Social Security lady was standing in my hospital room asking what to put on the form, and I have DEFINITELY yelled “get off at this exit!” overwhelming his protest that no, this doesn’t seem right. (That’s how we once took a very exciting tour of Camden, New Jersey.)

You know, one of the Game of Thrones T-shirts for sale at
the Irish souvenir stores was inspired by Peter Dinklage’s character, Tyrion
Lanister.

Tyrion Game Of Thrones GIF from Tyrion GIFs

I think I’ve come up with a fitting one for the Clan Davis.

I almost forgot about this song that my family was obsessed with during the 2012 Winter Olympics. Slovenian World Cup alpine ski racer Tina Maze’s way is her decision, her power is her vision! Et cetera! But Auto-Tuned!

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Hey there podcast listeners or wanna be podcast listeners…I’m recording the first two episodes of 2019 next week and they’re going to be corkers. Are you all caught up on Episodes 1-45? Leave me a comment below if you’re unsure of how to find them and I’ll walk you through it!

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