A friend of mine posed a challenge....he listed 10 questions, had each person pick one, and they must write a blog on this topic.
My chosen topic is the 5 rules for naming a child.
1. It must not rhyme with the kid's last name. This is just cruel. It doesn't allow the child any dignity....I mean come on....Mara O'Hara.....you're just asking for a kid with a complex.This child will be teased forever. A friend of mine even had a name change after she got married, as she would have ended up as Suzanne Vann.
2. No cute, play on word, or just plain weird names. Again, where is the dignity. Dweezle Moon Unit....Candy Cane....Mary Christmas....Cookie Crumble...Soda Pop Johnston....nobody is going to take you seriously. Probably this is why I was not allowed to name Son as Christopher Robin Johnston. I thought it would be cute, and I like Winnie the Pooh....but of course Husband vetoed that right off the bat. *grin*
3. If at all possible do NOT name the child after a family member....a father, grandfather, great grandmother twice removed. NOT a good idea. This is how rompin', stompin' family feuds begin because no matter how hard you try to justify the choice, SOMEBODY is going to get offended, and then someone else gets offended at that person who originally got offended, and....well....you get the idea.
4. Don't make the name too long. Unless you plan to shorten the name, or allow the child to pick one and ignore the others, do not name your child William Alexander Timothy Franklin Toby Aloysius Johnston the Third. Even William Alexander is a bit long when you think of the poor kid trying to learn to write his name in Kindergarten. If you MUST do this, then allow your child to go by Will, Bill,or Alex at school.
5. Do not close your eyes, open a name book, waggle your finger in the air while fanning the pages, driving your finger down and naming your child whatever name comes up....you will end up with a boy named Theresa Engelbert Johnston, or a girl named Buddy Bertha Johnston....use the book, sure, but look at what you are doing....and make sure you have a name for both a girl AND a boy (or plurals if it's multiples), because even if you go ahead and "find out" what you're having.....the doctor could be wrong. It happens. Rarely, but it happens.
Good luck to all of you out there actually being in a position of having to choose a baby name. And congratulations.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Was Blind, but Now I See
No, this isn't a rendition of "Amazing Grace"....
this past weekend, I got myself a new pair of glasses after, oh, probably 8 years. My old ones were really scratched, and my eyesight had worsened. We finally had enough to go to the optometrist,and get new glasses if needed, thanks to our home equity line of credit. I had no idea it was as bad as it was, though. I suspect my recent headaches and tiredness had something to do with the glasses. I picked them up on Saturday afternoon, took off the old ones and put on the new ones, and my reaction was to almost yell "Whoa!" aloud in the store (I didn't, though, just mentally thought so and then picked up Husband and spent 30 minutes trying to impress on him the difference....and to my frustration discovered he is unimpressable)...the difference was shocking....I could SEE!!!! I thought I could see okay in the old ones, but comparatively.....whoa! You know those Claritin Clear ads? Yeah. That was the difference between the two sets of glasses...it was as if I had been walking around in a heavy fog for a long time, and didn't even realize it because that was simply what I lived with, day by day, and it was a lot better than my eyesight without the glasses. So with these new ones, it's like popping new eyeballs in every morning....I can see better in the dark (except today, and that's a different story), I can see a LOT farther, things are MUCH clearer, colours are so much more vivid....it's AMAZING! I got new frames, so look a little different. I took a pic with the webcam, which didn't work out very well, but I will post it here anyway, to give a general idea anyway, until a better photo can be taken...
As I said....bad picture.
For those who are wondering about my comment about not being able to see today (and even if you aren't), this morning I was downtown, delivering papers in a not so great area of town. I was in a seniors' apartment building, on the 6th floor, just having pushed the elevator button...power goes out. Pitch blackness. I'm a little nervous....strange building, I don't belong there (aside from delivering the papers), I can't see, and I can't get out because the elevator won't work (that, and I still had 5 floors to deliver to). Lights came back on, I continue. I leave the building into....you guessed it....pitch blackness. And I mean PITCH BLACKNESS! The apartment complex had a generator to light the halls. Once outside, that light cannot be seen. There are no street lamps, no traffic lights, no house lights, no car lights. I know there are people walking around, but I can't see them. And it's a bad neighbourhood. I decide I'll try to fumble my way through the route (how I was going to figure out what the addresses were, I don't know), take a few steps into unknown territory....stumble because I can't see the dips and cracks and holes in the sidewalk....I can hardly see my hand in front of my face! Decide this is not worth it, turn around and stumble my way back to where I KNOW my car is parked. Feel it up until I find the key hole, get in, sit for a few minutes, and wonder what to do...I had to be home early so Husband could go off to a meeting, it was a new route, I had no idea where the addresses were, no idea how long it would take, and couldn't even do the other apartment building because that would require an electronic keycard which, you guessed it, would require electricity on the outside of the building. So I drove around a bit. Power was out in most of the city. I had a grand total of half an hour where I could see enough to read house numbers if I walked right up to the houses from the first scraps of dawn until I had to quit and get home. I managed to do (including the seniors' complex) 52 papers out of 116. Not good. But at least they (at the newspaper office) were understanding and ready to deliver them for me.
On the way home, the radio said that 60% of Saskatchewan had the power failure. Somebody must have messed up really badly somewhere!
Tomorrow I have a different route to cover. More apartments, but I think I've done it before....and this time I'm hunting down my flashlight before I leave home! I'd rather look like a burglar than be mugged by one!
this past weekend, I got myself a new pair of glasses after, oh, probably 8 years. My old ones were really scratched, and my eyesight had worsened. We finally had enough to go to the optometrist,and get new glasses if needed, thanks to our home equity line of credit. I had no idea it was as bad as it was, though. I suspect my recent headaches and tiredness had something to do with the glasses. I picked them up on Saturday afternoon, took off the old ones and put on the new ones, and my reaction was to almost yell "Whoa!" aloud in the store (I didn't, though, just mentally thought so and then picked up Husband and spent 30 minutes trying to impress on him the difference....and to my frustration discovered he is unimpressable)...the difference was shocking....I could SEE!!!! I thought I could see okay in the old ones, but comparatively.....whoa! You know those Claritin Clear ads? Yeah. That was the difference between the two sets of glasses...it was as if I had been walking around in a heavy fog for a long time, and didn't even realize it because that was simply what I lived with, day by day, and it was a lot better than my eyesight without the glasses. So with these new ones, it's like popping new eyeballs in every morning....I can see better in the dark (except today, and that's a different story), I can see a LOT farther, things are MUCH clearer, colours are so much more vivid....it's AMAZING! I got new frames, so look a little different. I took a pic with the webcam, which didn't work out very well, but I will post it here anyway, to give a general idea anyway, until a better photo can be taken...
As I said....bad picture.
For those who are wondering about my comment about not being able to see today (and even if you aren't), this morning I was downtown, delivering papers in a not so great area of town. I was in a seniors' apartment building, on the 6th floor, just having pushed the elevator button...power goes out. Pitch blackness. I'm a little nervous....strange building, I don't belong there (aside from delivering the papers), I can't see, and I can't get out because the elevator won't work (that, and I still had 5 floors to deliver to). Lights came back on, I continue. I leave the building into....you guessed it....pitch blackness. And I mean PITCH BLACKNESS! The apartment complex had a generator to light the halls. Once outside, that light cannot be seen. There are no street lamps, no traffic lights, no house lights, no car lights. I know there are people walking around, but I can't see them. And it's a bad neighbourhood. I decide I'll try to fumble my way through the route (how I was going to figure out what the addresses were, I don't know), take a few steps into unknown territory....stumble because I can't see the dips and cracks and holes in the sidewalk....I can hardly see my hand in front of my face! Decide this is not worth it, turn around and stumble my way back to where I KNOW my car is parked. Feel it up until I find the key hole, get in, sit for a few minutes, and wonder what to do...I had to be home early so Husband could go off to a meeting, it was a new route, I had no idea where the addresses were, no idea how long it would take, and couldn't even do the other apartment building because that would require an electronic keycard which, you guessed it, would require electricity on the outside of the building. So I drove around a bit. Power was out in most of the city. I had a grand total of half an hour where I could see enough to read house numbers if I walked right up to the houses from the first scraps of dawn until I had to quit and get home. I managed to do (including the seniors' complex) 52 papers out of 116. Not good. But at least they (at the newspaper office) were understanding and ready to deliver them for me.
On the way home, the radio said that 60% of Saskatchewan had the power failure. Somebody must have messed up really badly somewhere!
Tomorrow I have a different route to cover. More apartments, but I think I've done it before....and this time I'm hunting down my flashlight before I leave home! I'd rather look like a burglar than be mugged by one!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Dying a slow death
That is what this blog seems to be doing. I started off as a real keener, posting every day, even if what I was posting was more diary than public interest.
But I have been busy....and distracted....and tired. Very, very, very, very tired.
The Dog has been keeping us busy, on again, off again with cooperating with the whole crate idea. When she's agreeable, she's in within a few seconds, but on days when she is not, she whines, howls, pees all over, runs crazily all over the house, bouncing wildly off furniture (and unfortunately several times off Son or Daughter), and it takes two of us literally picking her up and shoving her in to get her to go. And when the Dog happens to be over 60 pounds, this is no small feat! If I'm alone, I have had to abandon the effort and stick her outside on her rope, which results in her tearing the screen off the back door, breaking plant pots, and making a horrible ruckus what with her whining and barking and throwing herself at the door and scratching at it. But I can't just ignore her or she makes a mess on the carpets in the five seconds I am out of the room. Even if she's just gone.
Still getting up at 4AM to do papers and go to the gym before getting Daughter ready for school. The last few days have been absolute torture, though. I have had a never-ending headache and been so tired I could sleep all day and night if given the chance. To be quite honest, it's been so bad that I haven';t achieved nearly as much as I should have this week. Take today, for example...got to bed last night around 10:30. Up this morning, 2 routes, gym, home by 7:30. Get daughter off to the school bus for 8. Grab a cup of coffee, sit down for a few minutes to drink it and watch Fat Albert (the old 30 minute cartoon version) before starting on the daily cleaning...3 hours later, hubby is waking me up from a VERY uncomfortable position in the chair (luckily I finished the coffee before going unconscious). Took the Dog for a walk, came home, made lunch, ate it, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, took out the compost, and tidied the bathroom, and now I sit here quite honestly ready and willing to go to bed and sleep until tomorrow (it's 2PM). Husband has been complaining of the headache and fatigue since last night. We've got a CO2 monitor and everything, so it isn't that. The only thing I could find on the internet was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, of which I have quite a few symptoms.....but I reserve judgement on that one for the time being, as I have a tendency to become slightly hypochondriacal.
Anyway, I will try to keep up with this blog a bit better, but if I don't....I'm probably asleep.
But I have been busy....and distracted....and tired. Very, very, very, very tired.
The Dog has been keeping us busy, on again, off again with cooperating with the whole crate idea. When she's agreeable, she's in within a few seconds, but on days when she is not, she whines, howls, pees all over, runs crazily all over the house, bouncing wildly off furniture (and unfortunately several times off Son or Daughter), and it takes two of us literally picking her up and shoving her in to get her to go. And when the Dog happens to be over 60 pounds, this is no small feat! If I'm alone, I have had to abandon the effort and stick her outside on her rope, which results in her tearing the screen off the back door, breaking plant pots, and making a horrible ruckus what with her whining and barking and throwing herself at the door and scratching at it. But I can't just ignore her or she makes a mess on the carpets in the five seconds I am out of the room. Even if she's just gone.
Still getting up at 4AM to do papers and go to the gym before getting Daughter ready for school. The last few days have been absolute torture, though. I have had a never-ending headache and been so tired I could sleep all day and night if given the chance. To be quite honest, it's been so bad that I haven';t achieved nearly as much as I should have this week. Take today, for example...got to bed last night around 10:30. Up this morning, 2 routes, gym, home by 7:30. Get daughter off to the school bus for 8. Grab a cup of coffee, sit down for a few minutes to drink it and watch Fat Albert (the old 30 minute cartoon version) before starting on the daily cleaning...3 hours later, hubby is waking me up from a VERY uncomfortable position in the chair (luckily I finished the coffee before going unconscious). Took the Dog for a walk, came home, made lunch, ate it, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, took out the compost, and tidied the bathroom, and now I sit here quite honestly ready and willing to go to bed and sleep until tomorrow (it's 2PM). Husband has been complaining of the headache and fatigue since last night. We've got a CO2 monitor and everything, so it isn't that. The only thing I could find on the internet was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, of which I have quite a few symptoms.....but I reserve judgement on that one for the time being, as I have a tendency to become slightly hypochondriacal.
Anyway, I will try to keep up with this blog a bit better, but if I don't....I'm probably asleep.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Back To School
Well, time has once again flown. According to the date on my last blog, I was away from this page for about a week and a half. It's been a very busy time.
The Dog is settling in quite nicely, though she is incredibly energetic and enthusiastic in her love for everyone and everything. The Cats are not nearly as impressed with the new addition and take every possible opportunity to try to explain this fact to the dog, who is, very amusingly, absolutely clueless. The harder The Cats hiss, spit, yowl, growl, and slash, the more she thinks they are playing and so tries to get them into a rousing game of tag. Tail wagging, barking, lunging playfully, running away and back, tongue hanging halfway to the floor....if it weren't for the fact that The Cats are in such obvious fury, it would be absolutely hilarious to watch for hours.
We are crate training, as she is a year old with no training of any kind. This is a tough one, as she tends to whine and cry for the first little bit after being put in the crate. She settles down and seems quite happy to be there after the first little bit, and the accidents are nearly nil, since we can get her straight out of the crate and into the yard, and when she is not in the crate, it's because we can be right there with her and hopefully catch the signs and get her out before the dreaded squat....but those sad eyes and the squeaking when she'd rather not be in there is heartbreaking. But I am told that it will be worth it for all in the end, once she is trained enough to be allowed access in and out without having to close the crate door, and it becomes, simply, her "space".
We will be taking her for a major outing today to a Duckie Race....they are dropping 25000 duckies in the river. We paid for 4 of them. We realize our chances are pretty slim, but it sure would be cool to have one of our duckies place in the top 20.
Daughter is back in school now, and loving French Immersion Grade 1 with a passion, which is wonderful to see. Son starts 3 year old preschool this Wednesday, and is excited about that as well, and for ease of remembering, it also happens that both kids' teachers have the same last name.
I'm enjoying having Daughter in school all day. I love her dearly, but it's a lot easier to only have one child (well, one child, two cats, one dog, and an overgrown kid) to worry about for 8 hours. Once The Dog settles down (she gets fixed this week, too, which I'm told will help *crossing fingers* to settle her down), hopefully it will be easier to focus on keeping the house clean and other stuff, without having to constantly keep an eye on her or clean up after her.
I have been going to the track lately, to jog, since the weight room has been shut down for yearly maintenance. I haven't been going as often as I should have, but I am quite proud of myself when I do go. I am the slow jogger on the track....I pass the walkers about once every 3 laps. The regular joggers pass me about every 2 laps. But all the same....I do 10 laps each time (plus one of fast walking to stop my legs from running away with me on automatic), and each lap takes about 2 minutes. They posted the length of each lap, and so on Saturday, I apparently jogged 2.2 km in 20 minutes. Not bad, I suppose. A friend of mine started a routine where he was going to record how far he ran on his treadmill each day in an effort to "run" as far as Vancouver. If I were to do that to my dream destination, it would take me halfway to forever.....but it would be an incentive to go to the track, I suppose. I went twice this past week, so i jogged 4.4 km. That doesn't get me very far. If I go by Google maps, to get from my house to Montreal is 2975km. At that rate, it will take me a little less than 1353 days at the track. If I go as often as I intend to, it will take me almost 270.5 weeks. A little over 5 years. Ouch. Oh well, maybe in time I will increase my laps and thereby reduce the time.
The Dog is settling in quite nicely, though she is incredibly energetic and enthusiastic in her love for everyone and everything. The Cats are not nearly as impressed with the new addition and take every possible opportunity to try to explain this fact to the dog, who is, very amusingly, absolutely clueless. The harder The Cats hiss, spit, yowl, growl, and slash, the more she thinks they are playing and so tries to get them into a rousing game of tag. Tail wagging, barking, lunging playfully, running away and back, tongue hanging halfway to the floor....if it weren't for the fact that The Cats are in such obvious fury, it would be absolutely hilarious to watch for hours.
We are crate training, as she is a year old with no training of any kind. This is a tough one, as she tends to whine and cry for the first little bit after being put in the crate. She settles down and seems quite happy to be there after the first little bit, and the accidents are nearly nil, since we can get her straight out of the crate and into the yard, and when she is not in the crate, it's because we can be right there with her and hopefully catch the signs and get her out before the dreaded squat....but those sad eyes and the squeaking when she'd rather not be in there is heartbreaking. But I am told that it will be worth it for all in the end, once she is trained enough to be allowed access in and out without having to close the crate door, and it becomes, simply, her "space".
We will be taking her for a major outing today to a Duckie Race....they are dropping 25000 duckies in the river. We paid for 4 of them. We realize our chances are pretty slim, but it sure would be cool to have one of our duckies place in the top 20.
Daughter is back in school now, and loving French Immersion Grade 1 with a passion, which is wonderful to see. Son starts 3 year old preschool this Wednesday, and is excited about that as well, and for ease of remembering, it also happens that both kids' teachers have the same last name.
I'm enjoying having Daughter in school all day. I love her dearly, but it's a lot easier to only have one child (well, one child, two cats, one dog, and an overgrown kid) to worry about for 8 hours. Once The Dog settles down (she gets fixed this week, too, which I'm told will help *crossing fingers* to settle her down), hopefully it will be easier to focus on keeping the house clean and other stuff, without having to constantly keep an eye on her or clean up after her.
I have been going to the track lately, to jog, since the weight room has been shut down for yearly maintenance. I haven't been going as often as I should have, but I am quite proud of myself when I do go. I am the slow jogger on the track....I pass the walkers about once every 3 laps. The regular joggers pass me about every 2 laps. But all the same....I do 10 laps each time (plus one of fast walking to stop my legs from running away with me on automatic), and each lap takes about 2 minutes. They posted the length of each lap, and so on Saturday, I apparently jogged 2.2 km in 20 minutes. Not bad, I suppose. A friend of mine started a routine where he was going to record how far he ran on his treadmill each day in an effort to "run" as far as Vancouver. If I were to do that to my dream destination, it would take me halfway to forever.....but it would be an incentive to go to the track, I suppose. I went twice this past week, so i jogged 4.4 km. That doesn't get me very far. If I go by Google maps, to get from my house to Montreal is 2975km. At that rate, it will take me a little less than 1353 days at the track. If I go as often as I intend to, it will take me almost 270.5 weeks. A little over 5 years. Ouch. Oh well, maybe in time I will increase my laps and thereby reduce the time.
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