The Cohen Brothers Couldn't Have Scripted It Any Better

Note: Found this in my unpublished archives from 2 years ago --title included -- and thought it would be fun just to post my notes "as is"...Ho-Ho-Ho.

...we were fighting a series of events (catastrophes, disasters, tragedies...the usual stuff) - Christmas Eve Day - basement floods (Shirley's carpeted bedroom);

_early next day - kitchen floods (during prep of Christmas dinner), pipe falls apart, can't use sink, guest arrives (room in basement); 

_drank wine, ate dinner, drank more wine, dessert(s);

_next day - basement floods (again!?), Silver Grill for breakfast, still went to True Grit (escape!), say goodbye to guest, can't do dishes;

_next day, Monday - call plumber early, go to showroom to pick out new faucet, talk to plumber, kitchen out of commission until Thursday...

_and...I just came down with a little head cold, the sore throat kind. Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas.

_trying to figure out how to write all this with a humorous slant for my blog. I don't think I'm there yet.

"N" is for... What's in a Name?

What is in a name? If the meaning of a name always described the person, then everyone named Mary would be bitter, and all called Barbara would be barbaric. That cannot be all there is to a name. 

James Smithson, Smithsonian Institute

The names given to towns, streets, parks and even buildings have frequently been chosen just to recognize a certain individual or to commemorate a particular surname. Of course, this garners considerable significance for the name someone is given or born with.

Often names are chosen simply to honor someone in their family tree. My grandfathers' names were Cyril (German) and Gilbert (Danish). The first named his son, Cyril, but gave him a different middle name, disannulling him as a "Junior." 

There are 5 grandchildren in my parents' tree. Their names, from oldest to youngest, are: Christopher, Christa, Carrie, Chad and Chelsey. All "Cs" -- not planned, we didn't sit down and have a discussion about it -- it just happened that way.

My contribution to the mix was Christa. I wanted to give her some way she'd never forget Jesus Christ as she went through life. Such a simple thing to have it as part of her own name, I had thought, so that each time she wrote it she'd remember.

The names of my grandmothers were Hulda (German) and Uarda (Danish). Does anyone ever give their kids names like that anymore?! I haven't heard of it...in this country anyway. But that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I would think it would be a bit tough going through school with names such as those.

I'm just as guilty for thinking up an odd name, as my next choice for a girl was to be, Tapestry Rose. "That's a hippie name," my husband insisted. He didn't appreciate it like I did. I loved the meaning that was conveyed by the concept of a tapestry -- beautifully and intricately woven together -- yet as soft and supple as a rose.

I have one final thought to consider...

Be careful not to laugh too hard if you hear of someone naming their next baby, Snicklefritz, because it just might become the name of the next school, park, or even the street that your great great grandchild decides to live on ;~)

"K" is for K - an Affinity; a Kinship

Order at Barnes and Noble

One thing I love about blogging is how much it helps to increase my understanding of words. As I write, I may have a certain word in mind that might be good to use, but I look it up in 3 or 4 sources first, just to be sure it'll say exactly what I want it to. 

Of course, then there's the possibility that a reader may not do the same, i.e. look it up, and just might have a different idea in mind when they read that word. To a certain extent, that's the chance a writer takes. But on the other hand, that's also part of the trust relationship between the one reading and the one writing, i.e. that the words were chosen to the best of that writer's ability in considering his or her audience. But isn't this true of all communications?

Language skills and our use of words should be, I would think, highly respected and guarded, as in protected or preserved. Hard to admit, but integrity in saying what is meant and meaning what one says, is almost a lost art in this day and time. It has become much more commonplace to read between the lines -- almost expected. If authors thought that way as they wrote, we probably wouldn't read books.

So...all of this being said, allow me to share a definition (or two) that I found today for the word, affinity:

1. A spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something, 
2. A similarity of characteristics suggesting a relationship; a kinship.

I have a definite affinity with the letter K. You may think I say this simply because my name is Kathy. Aahh...true, but it goes much deeper since my given name was actually Mary Kathleen. You see, because my mom's name is Mary, and Junior doesn't work very well for a girl, they chose to shorten my middle name to Kathy, for...uhh...practical reasons?! That's okay. I finally made my own preferences official, causing a strong affinity for the name, M Kathy.

Etching in a Granite Monument

Another strong affinity is with my maiden last name -- Kalkman. It's German, meaning man who works with stone. This holds special interest to me, because my great grandfather started a monument business called Melrose Granite Company. Both my grandfather and my dad worked for Melrose, not as stoneworkers, but as sales reps for the business. That's a paradox to me, which intrigues me, which somehow causes a greater affinity to that name, which begins with...

Then I married Kelly, whose given name was actually Kevin, who has a brother and only sibling named Kerry. Go figure. You would tend to think I must have a thing for K's. 

 

And to think...I was almost going to write about kites today...of which I have absolutely no known affinity!