HUMANS OF THE PFISTER | AUGUST 2016 | Being “August” | Continued

This long-time visitor to the hotel (she and her husband stayed here when they got married) gave the word “august” a new spin:

Does “august” mean “gusto”?  As in Au-gusto?  Or spunky maybe?

It means “magnificent,” “venerable,” “noble”?  Well, that’s kind of like gusto, isn’t it?

Here’s her story of being august:

A while ago, I started negotiating with my corporate America gig, trying to reduce my hours to go part time so I could focus more time on my art.  My family had programmed me: “You can’t do art.  There’s no money in it.”  My grandfather, however, was the art director at the Amity Leather Factory in Sturgeon Bay where they made purses and then later in West Bend where they made wallets.  He’s the one from whom I inherited my artistic talent.  Ironically, my dad, whose family had absolutely no artistic bent, was always buying me new art supplies and encouraging my work.  In the end, though, I took the practical route and got a BA in Economics and then my MBA.  I earned progressively better jobs over the years, and most people would deem me “successful.”  If I painted, it was only 1-3 a year.  My art always took second place–or last place, for that matter.

I finally negotiated successfully with my corporate America gig and went part-time.  It was a great win-win for both of us.  I started my own business.  When I was trying to come up with a cool name, I thought about how my ancestors on my dad’s side came from Bohemia.  I thought, “Well, that fits my art and my heritage: Bohemian.”  When I was little–ever the tomboy–I’d go up to my dad, pump my bicep, and say, “Dad, feel my muscle.”  To which he’d give a squeeze and reply, “Oh, you’re a tough little Bohemian.”  But my husband remarked, “You’re not little or tough.”  One night when we were at dinner with his mom, he said this.  His mom thought about it for a second, then responded, “Well, she is spunky.”

And that’s how Spunky Bohemian was born.