What's In A Username!

I have had a few people ask me lately how I came up with my username.

Obviously it is not my actual name. It is not a shortened version of my name, it has nothing to do with my initials. It does not contain numbers reflecting my age or date of birth. It is not a combination of letters and numbers that has signifance to me. It is not descriptive quality of my myself. It doesn't seem portray my goals or ambitions. In fact it appears as if it says absolutely nothing about me.

Well in reality it speaks volumes about me!

My daughter actually created the name Cheetalope when she was in grade school. She was in grade 5 or 6 ( so she was 10 or 11 at the time) and she had to write a short story. The topics included things such a bullying, racism, cultural conflicts etc.

Her story took place in a forest that made up the "earth." The animal species represented the different cultures and races that exist in the world. In summary the lion was king of the jungle, all feline animals where upper class with all other animals and creatures representing various social classes and ethnic backgrounds.

The animals constantly fought with each other because of they way they chose to live, they fought over food and over territory in the forest. They killed each other simply out of hatred for a particular species. This went on for years until one day a cheetah met an antelope and they fell in love. The cheetah being feline, was superior to the antelope who was considered lower class. Felines would taunt and tease the antelopes even killing them in some instances. But this particular cheetah and antelope secretly married and had a child...Cheetalope! Cheetalope was bullied because of his mixed parentage. He suffered terribly growing up and after his mom (the antelope) was killed for daring to marry a feline Cheetalope vowed to make the forest a better place.

Cheetalope grew up to be a great leader in the forest. He united the all the animals. He taught them how to live together and share the forest so that no animal species suffered. He helped the less fortunate and taught the animal kingdom that it is OK to be different from one and other and that every animal in the forest was important and had a role to play in the overall success of the forest.

Like most childhood writings my daughter's story ended with the animal kingdom living happily ever after in a unified world of peace and harmony.

So my username "Cheetalope" shows first of all how proud I am of my daughter and I share Cheetalope's views on the world. We should be able to live together in peace and harmony regardless of our race or culture. I believe, like Cheetalope that everyone should be given equal opportunities and that those less fortunate may need a helping hand. (I am a retired Social Worker after all). I belive the world can be a better place for all of us if we choose as individuals to make it so.

It is great to see the numerous people here in our WA community from various backgrounds and races all work together helping each other obtain a common goal, so much like Cheetalope's forest...

I wonder will the real world ever come in line with Cheetalope's forest?

- Brenda (Cheetalope)

PS. I have never entered Cheetalope as a username and got the response "that name is already in use...here are some suggestions". Lol!