Operation Pomegranate
You never know where your week will take you. On Monday I was fretting about what a bitch I am when it comes to other people’s pregnancies and by Tuesday night, I’m storming into Operation Pomegranate.
Yes, divine Ms. C, you did use the term “fun” to discuss something related to infertility (gasp!). Not as much fun as donning knee-high boots and accompanying a husband into the sperm palace, but fun nonetheless. Not just fun–community-building. A way to not ruin someone else’s coffee break with the casual movement of a wrist. A way to identify with someone else standing in line at the movie theater.
A way for all of us to just start talking about it. With everyone. And putting it out there. And not making miscarriage a dirty word. And not whispering that we’re infertile. And putting the real facts out there so that I’m not faced with one more idiot telling me that I’m going to have seventeen children if I (gasp) utilize A.R.T. And a way to explain to people that yes, they are my real children. And yes, that is offensive. And yes, it’s much more common than you think.
So my visual was obviously constructed with Microsoft Paint. Which makes it look like it was constructed with…Microsoft Paint. Which may or may not be a terrible thing. It’s a place to get started. So–simple design (a twist of string, a string twisted into the shape of a pomegranate, a string…doing stringy things?) and a simple message. That cannot be Stirrup Queens Unite. And I’ll tell you why.
Because there are Sperm Palace Jesters. And there are babies conceived with A.R.T. (and I would think DI Dad could have used something like that–a little string tied around baby’s ankle that would make everyone in the waiting room say to themselves, “aaah…secondary IF after primary IF”). But saying “Stirrup Queens, Sperm Palace Jesters, and A.R.T. babies…Unite!” seemed a bit too long. Therefore…
If people do not like the visual (and the visual is pretty much solely to post on your sidebar to educate others about Operation Pomegranate), someone needs to step up and make another one because I’ve exhausted my computer graphic skills at this point. My very very limited computer graphic skills. That extend solely to Microsoft Paint.
AND we need to come up with a slogan that goes along the bottom. Something inclusive. Something catchy. Something that could become the rallying cry of the Land of If. All suggestions accepted from now until Thursday at 9 a.m. Voting will commence from 9 a.m. until noon on Thursday (all Eastern Standard Time). Unless there is a pretty unanimous movement towards one posted suggestion. In that case, we’ll all just be lazy and go with that one. Did I say lazy? Well, that is our right.
If I were more computer savvy, I would also set up a poll to do this, but I must accept who I am. We must vote on whether to go with #814 or #718 (see the comments on Raise Your Right Hand–Unite for details if you’re just joining us). So voting is open between now and 9 a.m. on Thursday. Cast your vote for one of these two colours.
Now go be creative!
0 comments
In my extensive use of Google I have revealed that #718 is an accurate representation of a common color of pomegranate, while #814 is the exact color of the seeds. My vote is to twist the two together… OK, that’s not one you want, you said to pick ONE. I’m going with 814. It’s a bit darker, but I see it as representing the seeds, which are the same color in all the pictures I’ve looked at this morning. The skin of our pomegranates may be different colors (male factor, PCOS, endometriosis, unexplained…), but the seeds are the same, it’s IF no matter what the outside looks like, it’s the common thread.
I like what royalyne said. It’s what we feel inside that counts. I’m casting my vote for 814, too.
I was trying to think of a slogan, but all I could think of is “Operation Pomegranate:You are not alone.” I know it’s not catchy, but I’ve found myself feeling so alone during this process. I like the idea of being able to see others out there like me.
I’m for #814 though I really like the pomegranate charm.
I am with royalyne, I like his/her representation of meaning.
I like #814 as well though I really like the Pomegranate idea.
I am with Royalyne, his/her representation of the string seems right on!
Another ditto for royalyne’s characterization.
(hehe… common thread. No pun intended, right?) 🙂
I’m on the #814 bandwagon, too.
Can we discuss what the best answers to people asking about the Operation Pomegranate strings would be? I’m thinking I need something concise to start with…and I’m not generally good at concise.
I LOVE Royalyne’s idea–especially the whole idea that pomegranates can look different from the outside (beyond colour, think bruises, dents, etc) but the inside holds the common thread. The COMMON THREAD!
Is that something we can work into the slogan? Infertility’s Common Thread Project.
I like that–the common thread of emotions that run with infertility. The thread that we’re each wearing.
While each person experiencing infertility is unique, the emotions are our common thread and we wear a pomegranate-coloured thread on our wrist to elucidate the world about infertility, A.R.T., adoption, and surrogacy. Please ask us. We’ll tell.
I’m going to agree with royalne’s reasoning behind 814.
I also like really like something along the lines of Infertility’s Common Thread or The Common Threads of Infertility.
How do we get this to RESOLVE?!
By lucky coincidence, I have a meeting with someone at RESOLVE tomorrow afternoon that was set up weeks ago. Hence why I set the voting to end by noon tomorrow. I wanted to present this idea to him and ask how he thought they could help disseminate the information. And if we had a visual, write-up, etc. by then…well…all the better.
I love it and I like 814 also.
The story behind it makes it mean even more.
I love royalyne’s reasoning behind the color! I’ve seen beads that look like pomegranate seeds, too, although I can’t recall where. Perhaps if someone’s looking for something to add that might be an inexpensive possibility?