Origins

So you are wondering where the "handle" notafraid comes from perhaps?  Well I'll tell you...

For so long in my life I have been afraid.  Not of anything tangible, but just overly cautious and inhibited and self-conscious.  In the fall of 1998, through some difficult personal struggles, I decided that I didn't want to be afraid anymore - wanted to begin to take risks, to do things on my own if I had to, to not worry what others thought, and to be totally honest and upfront with people.  This time in my life coincided with my search for an email address.  It was hopeless to chose an email address using my name - being as it is quite common - so I examined other avenues.   Was going to use a song title from one of my favorite groups (have seen lots of people do that sort of thing) and almost was "a_quasar".  But also was toying with the idea of "notafraid".  After running the options by a couple of friends, notafraid became the choice. :-)  So here I am!

So, where does notafraid come from?  Well...I think it was influenced by a couple of things.  One being the title of the second cd by the band Jars of Clay = Much Afraid.  This cd was impacted by the Hannah Hurdnard's book "Hinds Feet on High Places".  Second was the new release by the band The Waiting = Unfazed.  In the title cut the last lines are "I am not afraid"...  I think hearing that song over and over also helped plant the seed of this idea of a user name.

Since deciding on the "name" notafraid, i have noticed it in more and more places...song lyrics mainly.  I wanted to share those I had found.  If you run across any other references please let me know!


SONG QUOTES

Plumb/Candycoatedwaterdrops/"Phobic"
"Phobic
Don't be
Grace needs a little more freedom
Phobic
Don't be
Love needs room to breathe

You can be healed
You can be free
You can know peace
Never be afraid again"

Audio Adrenaline/Underdog/"Hands and Feet"
"i'm willing,
i'm not afraid
You give me strength"

The Waiting/Unfazed/"Unfazed"
"my roof caved in, the weight of unbelief and
my eyes half closed, my vision getting weak and
still i see You, i know You'll never fade so
i am not afraid..."

The Waiting/s/t/"Never Dim"
"and everybody's tired, and scared
and begging unbelief
but You have yet to break a sweat
no, You're not afraid
You're not afraid
You're not afraid.."

Fleming & John/Delusions of Grandeur/"I'm Not Afraid"
"but i'm not afraid, i'm not afraid, i'm not afraid of you...

i'm afraid of driving over 65, i'm afraid of flying in the sky
i'm afraid of getting out of bed and nowhere to put my head
i'm afraid of multiple choice when 'a' and 'b' and 'c' and 'd' are true
and i'm afraid of not being afraid"

OTHER QUOTES

John Henry Cardinal Newman
"Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather that it shall
never have a beginning."

William James (1842-1910)Psychologist and philosopher
Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your
belief will help create that fact.
 

MOVIE QUOTES

"Elizabeth" (1998) - movie
Dudley: Remember who you are. Do not be afraid of them.
Elizabeth: I am my father's daughter. I'm not afraid of anything.

"Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975)
Minstrel: [singing] Bravely bold Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot. He was not afraid to die, oh brave Sir Robin. He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways, brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin. He was not in the least bit scared to being mashed into a pulp, or to have his eyes carved out, and his elbows broken. To have his kneecap split, and his body burned away, and his limbs all hacked and mangled, brave Sir Robin. His head smashed in and heart cut out, and his liver removed, and his bowels unplugged, and his nostrils ripped and his bottom burned off ...

"Wizard of Oz"  (1939)
Dorothy Gale: I'm not afraid of her.