Histories Unnamed: Reputation Laid to Rest

<p>Let me tell you who I am.<br>I am a person driven to endless creative endeavors.<br>I am a person trying to reconcile with my past.<br>And in my past, my family&#39;s past, is the history of a name.<br><br>My last name was given to me by my predominantly Polish father.<br>For years it has puzzled me, &quot;What does it mean?&quot; And for the love of God! Spell it right!<br>I have found that a name, like in so many tales, has the power to control its bearer rendering him witless to the coming danger. I suppose its only a myth. I call someone&#39;s name - nothing interesting ever happens. What the heck, right?<br>Unique in its brevity; lo and behold; that name is: SROKA<br><br>It unmistakably means Magpie. Now for my distant and unknown brothers and sisters, I hail to you, for I know that we should never meet. And as for the other readers of my blog: I hope this was as educational as it is dreary. <br><br>Magpies have a long notorious history of being pests. They are loud chattery birds that have, to my dismay, been categorized as evil. They collect things of relative beauty; whatever&#39;s shinny humans cast aside. And occasionally feast on the hatchings of other birds. <br>In European history a Magpie betokens bad luck. So much for the black cat sightings. A Magpie is to be greeted as one of prestige. &quot;Ello! Mr. Magpie, how is your wife?&quot; If not greeted, this wordless gentleman could spell your doom.<br>The number of Magpies is also an indication of what will happen in your near future. The rhyme goes as follows:</p><dl><dd>One for sorrow,</dd><dd>Two for joy,</dd><dd>Three for a girl,</dd><dd>Four for a boy,</dd><dd>Five for silver,</dd><dd>Six for gold,</dd><dd>Seven for a secret never to be told.</dd></dl>There are about five variants of this rhyme. They have also been interchanged with crows. Needless to say, the rhyme was intended for Magpies first, thus making them way cooler. It&#39;s a known fact.<br>If you think that Crow and Ravens are by far eviler - I can tell you why not.<br>On the crucifixion of Christ, all of the birds wept and sung for him. All save one consoled him in his agony. It was the magpie that was forever cursed.<br>That being said, the only optimism of this dismal gloom came from the Chinese. To them this bird meant good news would come your way. It&#39;s about time! I was about ready to slit my wrists [not really].<br><br>As you can see, I&#39;m just a bird. A harmless bird seeking acceptance in Man&#39;s world, regardless if I have a drop of Satan&#39;s blood under my tongue. My reputation is all for naught. Birds care less for the doings Man, just as they care even less for superstition. belief <img src="http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/Annera_2006/sroka_pica_pica_2.jpg" height="443" width="575">