Biz-i-ness, Names, and Other Phenomenon

Last year, while i was working the Decatur Arts Show, a woman came up to me in my booth and said, "I've been looking for a chance to meet you." "My name is Molly Wender". No shit. I was talking with a friend or two of mine, and they looked at me and then at her. We stopped talking and i looked at the other Molly Wender. Really. She explained that she was a student at Emory, and that she knew i existed (the other other Molly Wender), but she hadn't called or contacted me earlier. Wow. We talked on for a moment, and i said to her, "well, you probably don't have all of the same names as i do." We had a test. I told her my original name wasn't Molly Wender, but that i took Wender on when i was married. I told her my middle name was Ann. Her's was too. I said, "Ok, my Hebrew name is Miriam Hannah". She said, "mine is pretty much the same as that." Ok. "You don't have my Sufi name, Muhasaba". Nope, i had her there. We had a nice conversation, and followed up with an e-mail, since she wanted some background on the Wender name. It was a cool surprise. The show was good. I always meet interesting artists and patrons.

The name Molly is a derivative of Mary. It's not necessarily a Jewish name, but some people think it might be. I didn't grow up Jewish. I converted. I was named after my father's sister, who lives in Pittsburgh. Most Jewish people name their kids after dead relatives. When I converted, the Rabbi told my parents they were honorary Jews, since they were attending Temple more than the Jews who were born Jewish. Honorary MOT.


I used to participate in the Jewish Festival. It's usually around this time of year. The first year i did it, i shared a table with my friend, Sue. We had set up and the show was about to start. Two MOT dressed like MIB came up behind us. They said, "we'll buy out your booth right now if you promise to come back next year." I don't think Sue heard them. I should have sold out right then, but i didn't know if i wanted to come back. It was hot. I've done that show a few times and it's always a scene. This year, i decided to get sweaty down in Grant Park. I've never done that show. It's this weekend and i bet it's going to be hot.


Miriam is a great name, and the closest to Molly i could find. I have an affinity to the name Miriam, since she was a great seer. Moses's sister. Hannah is about the equivalent of Ann.

Muhasaba, my Sufi name, is a type of meditation, and also means "to study oneself", or "self examination". That's not an easy name to live up to, i have found. At first, we thought my name was Muhasibi. Muhasibi, i later found out, is the father of Sufism. At least, that's what i've read. He was a great teacher and leader, and into abstinence. Luckily for me, muhasaba is a little bit easier energy to maintain.