magpies

Why call my blog the Magpie Minutes?
I've always had an affinity for magpies because of my OCD. They're known for hoarding shiny objects (although, as horders, they've got nothing on the bower bird) and I myself am a hoarder. They're attached to deep superstitions, reflecting the scrupulosity that I have dealt with for many years. And one of these superstitions is based on a rhyme that requires counting:

One for sorrow, two for joy,
three for a girl, and four for a boy.
Five for silver, six for gold,
and seven for a secret that's never been told.

And yes, I've done my own share of counting. Lastly, and ironically,  they are one of only a handful of animals who can recognize themselves in a mirror-- and for many layered reasons, I have a very complex relationship with mirrors.

Minutes: as in something recorded, but also as in a fleeting measurement of time. As an adjective, insignificant but still present. Multiple meanings that all give shape to what I intend to write here.

And in the end? It just seemed to fit.