As a consummate map geek and a huge Google Earth fan, I sometimes stumble on some very interesting things. Like the scene below from a North Carolina college.

Is this strange scene emblematic of our current culture? Are we so wrapped up in our screen time and scrolling that we just slowly…disappear?

Must be, because it’s also happening to this woman in New York city.

Sounds like a great story idea! Anyone game?

Speaking of stories (and getting to the point of this particular post) my first attempt at serious writing was sparked by a map. While randomly scrolling at a paper map at work, I found a symbol for an airport in a place where they shouldn’t be one.

On further research, it turned out that this symbol was actually a helipad for a mysterious government complex called ‘Big Hole,’ nestled near the shores of a (very unmysterious) reservoir called Lake Jordan.

Big Hole! What a boring name for such a dark and enigmatic place!

Despite the name, I longed to investigate Big Hole. But being a law-abiding citizen, the best I could do was explore it in my imagination. The result was my first shot at writing a book, which I ended up naming ‘Falconer.’

It wasn’t exactly ‘War and Peace.’ But first books usually aren’t.

Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that names ARE important. You shouldn’t name secret government facilities ‘Big Hole!’ If it had been up to me, I’d have suggested something more…atmospheric. Like ‘Raven Hollow’ or ‘Site 999.’

Then again, names like that might have spurred on hordes of curious people to trespass, and then their memories would have needed wiping by the Men in Black.

Scratch that.

Atmospheric names ARE important for books, though. My current book, ‘Smoke and Mirrors,’ has had four title changes. I haven’t even attempted to name the chapters. I admire the people who do that, though.

Sometimes, however, you just get it right. Like Agatha Christie’s ‘Towards Zero.’ Isn’t that a totally cool title? You may know nothing about the book (except least one person is going to be murdered), but the title sucks you in just the same. How about Amanda Trumpower’s ‘Power Pup vs. Grillmaster?’ That’s an immortal title if I’ve ever heard one.

Sometimes the mapmakers get it right too. There’s a scenic view in the Grand Canyon called…wait for it…’Ooh Ahh Point!’

So much better than ‘Big Hole,’ no?

So when you’re naming stuff, whether it be your firstborn child or your books-in-progress, take pause and really think about it. Do your subject justice. Okay?

And be careful on getting input by committee. I suspect that if there had been an Internet survey to name Ooh Ahh Point, the overwhelming majority of people would have selected something like ‘Lookie McLookout.’

So what’s my point in all of this?

I don’t really know.

It’s Friday. You can’t expect me to be deep and philosophical all the time, can you?