The longest running arguments my ex and I had were over names for the children. As you might imagine these ran as much as eight months per child; and for four children that takes up almost four of our sixteen years together. Sometimes they weren't concluded until post partum. To be honest I don't remember what the argumentative names for the girls were, but I do remember the boys' names. He wanted to name our firstborn Carroll. This was to be in honor of Carroll O'Connor who at the time was best known for playing Archie Bunker, a loud mouth bigot on TV's "All In the Family". I had nothing against Mr. O'Connor, but I thought this name, Carroll, would be launching our son down the same path as "A Boy Named Sue," as in the Johnny Cash song. So, I stood strong.
After three children with perfectly acceptable WASP names my ex then turned ethnic on me. Suddenly he wanted to name this last child and second son Pablo. (No, Picasso had nothing to do with it.) "You just can't follow Chad, Buffy, and Skipper with Pablo," I argued. "It sounds as if he was adopted from another country." Goodness knows, I knew he came from the same place as the others. It would be great on a grant application, but we weren't writing one. One more victory!
My children have never complained about their names, at least, not in my hearing. But now that they've become bloggers and proclaimed themselves to the world on the internet I'm astounded at their pseudonym choices.
Chillax
Plug
Goo
Dagromm
Give me a break! I fought so hard for you to have reasonable and delightful, inspiring names. My pets' names are more wholesome than your blogger labels. For that matter, your pets have nicer names. You could have just chosen names of serial killers or Sneezy, Dopey, Happy, and Doc. Go figure!.
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13 comments:
Speaking for myself - which, let's face it, I always do - I'm not certain I "chose" my blogger name. Yeah, sure, I typed it in on the registration form, but my name was given to me - or so legend has it - not too long after you gifted me with my legal name, which I love and have defended proudly for years against those who would try to truncate it into some truly WASPy diminutive which would limit not only my name, but my personality. All that said, my blogger name is dear and special to me and is recognized only by those dearest and most special to me. Get over it, Mom.
I'm not sure whose age you're trying to protect here but I feel obligated to point out that "All In The Family" didn't debut until 1971.
i've never used a nickname other than when we were stationed at montauk point and i was in the fifth grade. there were four heather's in my class so nicknames were more of a necessity. i do however assign nicknames liberaly among those i associate with. just be glad that all four of your kids enjoy the written word enough to want to write. even if it is in the form of a blog. :-)
chillax,
You are so right. So, I don't know why your father was so enamored with Mr. O'Connor at the time, but he was the example of men named Carroll. Would you like us to start calling you Carroll?
heather,
I am very proud of all of them. You can't imagine how the words fly and laughter everywhere when we are all together. It was too much for one boyfriend who wasn't accustomed to so much family frivolity.
*tehehe, chillax as carroll, hahaha*
GB (if I may call you that),
Your inference is understandable but mistaken. Though I appreciate and enjoy the thoughtfulness, deep study, and continually changing interpretation (a laudable trait) of Judaism, I did not convert. The name came from a friend both the ex and I liked very much, a man who earned his doctorate in economics at Tex. A&M, a neighbor in student housing when we were there.
If I were converting it would probably be to Buddhism where there appears to be no right wing, no left wing, no aggression, no one upsmanship. I think it was what Jesus was introducing to his world, but the whole thing has gotten way bent out of shape. But I don't think you meant me to get into this whole thing. Your comment just prompted me to respond, and I did.
So how does your wife feel about your internet imaginary lechery?
lechery, ~that~ is a great way to describe it! lol
Lit,
I gotta agree with your interpretation of that prophet. I've become quite dissappointed with the way his teachings are used in today's modern world.
My wife doesn't read my blog. She thinks Dagromm, Cyber and I are idiots. She's probably right.
And I wake up every day grateful that she puts up with who I am.
g-man, if it's any consulation j and his friends are idiots too.
Gyuss - She doesn't think I'm an idiot! I'm bad ass!! She thinks that right?!??
I don't remember hating my name or anything but I did hate how common it was. I had a ballet class of about 12, four of us had the same name. As I recall, I wanted to be Lucinda till Lucinda Stout murdered her parents got it splashed all over the news. Then I liked Madeline - still do. I always thought my middle name was old-ladyish though. btw, what boyfriend got scared off by the family "wit?"
Plug---I thought the overwhelmed boyfriend was the one who helped you move out, and I think he helped you move back.
Also when your name was picked it wasn't the "name d'jour." Apparently many thinking parents had simultaneous inspirations. The middle name was your father's drama coach in N. Y. who must really have had a great great impact on him because he really wanted that name. See, I didn't win all the name contests. Isn't compromise supposed to be a good thing?
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