This past weekend I went out on an antiquing adventure with my significant other and our friends.  Scouring stores for holiday gifts early in the year has always proven to be a successful move on my part and has saved us from the last minute rush.  Additionally it’s like attending a museum… but you actually get to touch things! I love wondering about the history of these objects; who did they belong to, what history have they “seen”, etc.  

This weekend I was completely surprised by a rather fortuitous find.  Looking up and over my right shoulder, hidden upon a dimly lit shelf just over my head was this lurking treasure.  Quickly I snatched it up and hugged it (like a normal person would do). With tears in my eyes, I timidly looked at the price tag, wondering for that fraction of a second if I would be paying an exorbitant amount for this seemingly simple and totally random item.  To my astonishment it was marked down to only $2! Needless to say I was beside myself. It was destiny.

“Twigg: 50th Family Reunion 1996”

A little background.  For all intensive purposes my name is Twigg (with two g’s).  Everyone calls me Twigg; my mother, co-workers, bosses, friends…everyone.  The majority of my friends surprisingly don’t know my given name, which is always hilarious when I forgot and they make a face when they randomly realize.

About 10 years ago, I started volunteering for local pirate festivals.  Think Renaissance Festivals but with pirates. We set up encampments, give historical presentations as well as perform various choreographed fights. It’s great fun and I’ve found some great friends and family through these events.  

My first year I was tasked with having to come up with a “pirate name”.  I was all of 110 lbs. back then and the smallest one in our crew.

During a break, I threw out some ideas until I mentioned “Twigg” and thinking myself witty at the time, proudly followed it up with “but with two g’s ‘cause pirates can’t spell.”  The organizer of the event who was standing just a couple of feet next to me overheard me. Upon first glance, he looks like a hulking man that you wouldn’t mess with (which is true) but he has a heart of gold.  He turned away from his conversation, pointed to me and boldly declared, “You’re name is Twigg” and turned to continue his conversation as if nothing had happened. Needless to say it has stuck and I’m forever thankful.  

I’m in the back row, third from the left w/ the black tricorn hat and dark shirt.

Fast forward 3 years. My aunt was conducting some family history research and left a pile of documents with my mother.  While browsing through folders of loose leaf pages of information, I stumbled across a familiar name. Twigg, spelled exactly the same!  It was indeed my family last name some number of generations back on my mother’s side. It was destiny yet again.

Life is strange.  It throws you some curve balls to be sure.  Some are not as kind or forgiving as others however there are those odd chance occurrences that are strangely serendipitous.  Even more so when they are recurring.

Apparently my long lost relatives are painters as well as evident by this pitcher.  Who knew!

“Long Live Paint”
~*Twigg*~