They call me “The James Ross.”

“What do you think of theJamesRoss.ca for your domain,” asked my web guru in all seriousness.  I had hired him to help me put together a personal writer’s website, a place where I could blog, post my travel writing and promote my books.  We were struggling to come up with a catchy domain name.

I know what you’re thinking – The James Ross sounds a little pretentious, a touch arrogant.  Out of the plethora of James Rosses that live around this world, I was setting myself up as the most important James Ross of them all.  Well, to me, I guess I am.

I countered with “How about James Ross who writes dot ca?”

“No.”

We wanted a domain name that would make like a writer’s brand – short and to the point and easy to remember – the trouble being, I do a Google search and find that there are way too many James Rosses in the world.  James Ross the machine manufacturer.  James Ross the stand-up comic. James Ross the Chip and Dale dancer.  James Ross the sailor.  Really?  You’re a sailor and you need your own web page?  Popeye doesn’t even have his own website!  (Oh, I stand corrected, apparently he does).  I’m being serious here, with a name as common as mine, finding my little domain space on the World Wide Web was becoming a true dilemma.  Why hadn’t my parents considered this before shackling me with such an ordinary name?  Why not Benedict Ross, or Sherlock Ross, or Napoleon Ross?

“Just think on The James Ross,” says the web guy, toss it around for a few days and let me know.  This coming from a guy who calls himself the Creative One – not just another creative kind of individual, but the actual, all powerful, Creative One!

I decide to give it a week, and I come up with a plan.  I approach my wife and ask her to refrain from calling me James or Jamie or Dear or Honey Bunny.  “When you speak to me this week,” I say to her, “I want you to address me as The James Ross.”

“Good luck with that!” was her only helpful input.

So, when my darling spouse phoned my cell I’d answer with, “You’ve reached The James Ross, can I help you?”  When we met after work and she asked after my day, I would respond with “The James Ross had a good day, what about the wife?”  And, then, when I added “Do you mind getting The James Ross a beer?” – Well, let’s just say that in retrospect, I see now that my brilliant plan never really had a chance of success.

In fact, my wife wasn’t at all helpful with my domain name endeavour.  Perhaps not quite understanding my method, she seemed to always add some adjective into the name, some colourful descriptive that I find no need to repeat in this space.  After-all, how can I get used to the idea of being The James Ross when I’m being called “The #@!*%$# James Ross?”  Her domain name suggestions were simply too long.

Still, here I am, The James Ross.  Where can you find me?  Search me.

Welcome to my writer’s website.  I hope you come back often to enjoy my cottage stories, peruse my travel tales, and read the blog.

This is my Domain!