Why Oakenglass?

“Oakenglass” meaning needs a little bit of an explanation.

I was struggling a lot looking for the perfect name for this website. After all, how are you supposed to call a blog which main theme is coping with suicide loss? That’s hard, also because I wanted a name which was short, simple, melodic and meaningful: an easy-to-remember name. Thus, I started to pay attention to all the words that came into my hearing and sight, and I wrote down on a list the ones that I particularly liked. Then, I created some combinations of two words that felt good together. Simply put, the “combine-them-all” idea was a worthless mess.

As soon as I decided to stop straining to find a name, it appeared before my eyes: I was tweaking some settings in the control panel of my laptop, when my gaze fell upon the caption “Computer name: Brokenglass3”. I’ve always named all my electronic devices “Brokenglass” (followed by a number), for some reason I don’t remember anymore. Maybe only because it sounds nice? I don’t know. Anyway… that was it. It just stated how I had been feeling for weeks. I immediately checked online if the domain brokenglass.com was available for purchase… well, it was not.

But I liked the vibe portrayed by that compound word, hence I didn’t want to change it much: my solution was to think about all the terms that roughly rhyme with “broken” and to find one compatible with “glass”. I even asked a friend of mine, who’s an English teacher, to help me with this hunt. He suggested me excellent options, but none has been better than one of the first that popped up in my mind: “oaken”.

I know that “oakenglass” literally makes no sense: who has ever seen a glass made of wood? That’s almost an oxymoron. But figuratively, it does: the word “oaken” carries within itself an idea of strength, while the word “glass” an idea of vulnerability. Together, I believe they resonate in a truly graceful way… because together, I think they speak the nature of every human being.

So Oakenglass it was.

Where are you from?

I was born in Bergamo, Italy and I’m currently living there.
I hope you could forgive me, then, if my English was far from perfect: I’m doing my best.

Why are you writing in English if you are an Italian living in Italy?

Because I want to widen the audience for the story I’m telling. I know I risk alienating a big chunk of my potential audience from Italy, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take.

What do you earn from doing this?

The satisfaction inscribed into the process of fulfilling a dream.

I mean, what do you earn from doing this?

Nothing. I receive no salary from anyone, this website and social networks are not monetized and I’m not doing this hoping to somehow receive a job offer from my hometown hospital; far from it. When it will be necessary, I’ll find other ways to support myself.

So now who’s paying for your living expenses?

I’m lucky enough to have parents who are supporting me. I live in their house and they pay for my food, bills quota and fuel costs. Everything else is paid with my savings, like leisure, hobbies and travel outlays.

How is it possible that you do have savings without a real job?

I’ve worked small jobs here and there in the past, in fact the vast majority of my savings comes from a university related job and refunds. The remaining part comes from Christmas and birthday gifts. I’ve always been frugal.

Have you planned to live with your parents for all your life?

No, I have other plans. But my current project needs me to stay here, at least for now.