I published this March 22 2010 on this defunct website:
A Rose By Any Other Name
I went out for a walk this morning … something I need to do WAY more often than I do … and came across a backhoe (or excavator, if you wish) working on a lot that is a shortcut off of our dead-end street. I guess I’ll have to say it ‘was’ a shortcut. Looks like they’re building a house on the lot, and you just know that they won’t put a public walkway down the side of the lot. No, the new homeowner will build fences, and that will be that. We’ll have to walk almost a kilometre (half mile) to get to the same point where we now only have to walk 75 metres (78 yards) to get to. Damn!
Anyway, that wasn’t what this post is about. I was walking by the lot, watching the backhoe do its’ thing, when I noticed the name on the side of the operators’ pickup truck:
ARTFUL EXCAVATING
Well that brought a smile to my face, as I was thinking “What does being ‘artful’ have to do with excavating dirt?”. And then I thought “Well maybe the guys name is Art!”, but I don’t think so. Because if it was, then all his friends and family would start calling him ‘Artful’ instead of Art. He wouldn’t subject himself to that
After I came home, I went to my favorite site, Dictionary.com. I go there often! I found three distinct definitions of “artful” listed. Here they are:
- slyly, crafty or cunning; deceitful; tricky:
- skillful or clever in adapting means to ends; ingenious:
- done with or characterized by art or skill:
The first definition is kind of sketchy … don’t know that I would want my company to be known as “sly, deceitful, tricky”. Might not give people the best impression. But the second and third definitions, those I can see applied to a business like excavating. You see, the lot he’s working on is extremely downhill. It is not level, at all. There are other structures behind the lot (on our street), and a sidewalk and street below. He’s definitely going to have to be skillful, clever, ingenious, and yes, artful, to achieve the goal of making this lot ready to build a house upon!
So, I guess the lesson learned is, don’t automatically say “Well that’s stupid! Why would they call their business that?”. It would be my opinion that this guy should be awarded an epic WIN for thinking up Artful Excavating for his service.
I have, however, come across an even better name for an excavating company. I’ve seen them around, and laugh every time I do. The company is called We Dig It!
‘Till next time, readers. Have a good one!
Randall Hawes
