Why Spheremusic?

Reflections on how I chose my domain name, and a new page design.

Names are important and choosing a domain name definitely requires some thought. In general, you want something that is short, memorable, easy to spell, and descriptive. If you are a company or an organization your choices can be obvious, but if you are just somebody playing on the internet the sky is the limit.

When I started out in 2000 I did not have a clear idea of what this site would become. I thought I wanted to do some writing but mostly I was experimenting with web design, both graphic and back-end. I wanted something general, something universal maybe? I decided on 'spheremusic', although the site does not really have much to do with music, at least for the moment. I thought it had sort of a German ring to it: the German language is known for inventing compound words. Since I was neither an organization nor a company (and .com was already taken anyhow) I opted for .net.

I am definitely not a medievalist, but the reference is to 'the music of the spheres', with shades of morningstar song. I actually had in mind the hymn, "This is my Father's World", written by Maltbie D. Babcock in 1901. (I think it needs a new tune, and I especially like the Buryl Red tune I taught my children's choirs.)

This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.

[God answered Job out of the whirlwind,] "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth.... when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
– Job 38:4a,7 (RSV)

For the new page design I wanted something a little more dignified-- somehow the aqua and red were looking a little circus-y. My significant other found some wonderful screensaver graphics of the universe. I thought about a slide show with clips of some of the fantastic photos NASA has at http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/ and http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html, as well as the gallery at http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/, but I finally remembered 'KISS" –"Keep it Simple, Sweetheart" – and I decided to go with just my favorite. There's no place like home.