I was so psyched to go to Provo for four days, on to Denver for two more, and then finally spend the last two days in Sedro-Woolley with my parents. I had it all planned out and set in my mind. It was going to be wonderful and I was going to have such a good time! I would get to play with Kendall, hang out with Matt and Heather in their super cute new “house”, see Renae one last time before she graduates and spends the summer in South Carolina and then who knows where, try to convince Randi to come home this summer so I don’t feel like such a total loser slouch, and of course, spend some much longed for time Reich. Plus, I’d still get in my mooch off mom and dad time. What is that about the best laid plans? Well, I’m not a mouse or a man, so I think that saying shouldn’t apply to me!
Regardless, Southwest Airlines and their broken airplanes put a huge damper on my plans. My flight was cancelled on Saturday, leaving me really upset and frustrated. In an attempt to make the best of it, I made a dentist appointment. I had a tooth that had been sore for a couple of days (which I realized thanks to some delish jelly beans and Swedish Fish Eggs…I love Easter, I love candy, I love that celebrating the Savior includes candy).
On Monday, we went out to my grandparents’ house on Whidbey Island. I love going to visit with them. We watched some old movie footage recently converted to DVD from Super 8 film. Amazing how far technology has come! It’s interesting to see what they thought was important enough to video record, compared with today when we record EVERYTHING.
Anyways, fast forward to Tuesday at my dentist appointment (for which I was made to wait an extra like 20 minutes past my appointment time). After x-rays and examination, it was determined that I had a few cavities and a fractured tooth. The later needing a crown. And a root canal. Did I have time right then, because the dentist did. With my mom’s gracious willingness to sit in the waiting room for another hour and a half, I conceded. It didn’t really hurt as much as I thought it would, and even today it is barely as sore as it was when I ate the fish eggs. The steady taking of ibuprofen has helped.
The rest of that day was filled with shopping for baby clothes, Red Robin, and Costco pizza/muffins, so I can’t really complain. The baby clothes shopping continued on the next day as well, which I loved then too. There was also quite a bit of television watching, including an amazing show called “Four of a Kind” about a set of identical 17 year old quadruplet girls. Fascinating stuff.
I wasn’t a total waste of skin last week though. I did go to help an elderly man from church move. Saying that his house was a mess would be the understatement of maybe, ever. I didn’t do much in the grand scheme of things, but I did something. The next day was spent riding along in the chase car as my dad drove the U-Haul truck to Spokane. Although it took the whole day to go and come back, I spent most of it playing with my dog, singing to Matt Hires (I love you, Matt Hires!), harassing my mom (which thing I also love!), and even snoozing a little. We drove through some beautiful countryside northwest of Spokane on our way to deer Park via the “short cut” that took an hour and a half longer than the long way. We even encountered all sorts of weather along the way, culminating in the horizontal snow storm as we approached Snoqualmie Pass. That was special. As my grandma recently said, “There’s another star in heaven for you!” to my dad for his unfailing selfless service.
Friday my mom made lasagna and I made a cake to celebrate John’s 32nd birthday. Man is he old. It sort of became and all day event, but turned out really well. We had a nice dinner and visit all together, which was very cool. I miss having my siblings around. Down side of growing up in a big family: when everyone’s grown, they all go away.
Saturday I did some stamping as well as postering in preparation for the “Show Us Your Stuff” night at the Sedro-Woolley ward activity. Dad took some of his more transportable wood working, mom took her writing, I made a poster of decorated cakes I’ve done, and the piece de resistance: fresh spun cotton candy. Oh, that fluffy pink magic! It was a fun night full of really interesting displays.
Sunday had me back in Renton to go to church, teach my lesson, and get geared up for life again today. Which was fine. I hadn’t realized how much I missed my students until my first period class walked in. I was just grinning to see them. Of course, they did bring darling projects to present today, so that helped. What I forgot to mention about Sunday in my first posting was that I got pulled over for running a red light (left hand turn in an empty intersection). Also, that officer was very attractive. I still can't believe I did it, and my incredulousness helped in my just getting a warning.
All in all, what could have been a disastrous week, turned out pretty well. I did pretty much zero work related to work, so Spring Break 2011 was a success in my book.
Monday, April 11, 2011
What's in a name?
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, and a bug by any other name would be as gross. And yet, when I saw the GIANT black spider in the garage, the first thing I did (after I got done screaming, jumping around, and trying not to hyperventilate) was give it a name. Nasty Ned. I feel like it is very fitting.
The very next day, by friend Cortney said that she and her husband had just purchased a family pet for their girls. They got a wonderfully cow-licked guinea pig. As she was describing his funny face and spiky hair, all I could think was “What’d you name him?” So I started to wonder, is it just me, or do all people have an obsession with naming things? Here’s what I came up with:
People name things to understand them. When we find a new species of plant, animal, even germ, we name it. Classify that guy before someone else does! Why though? Does it somehow change the fungus to be named? It doesn’t, except in our minds. As thinking creatures, we don’t like what we can’t understand. How do get to an understanding of something? We name it. You’re sick…what do you have? An infection. Yeah, but what do you have?
I think it’s the same basic instinct that drives us to name cars and toys and even body parts. My car is The Grey Glob. My dearest stuffed animal is Gilly. I haven’t named any body parts. The point is though, by personifying these objects, I come to understand them. It’s weird to talk to my car, but talking to The Grey Glob isn’t weird. Okay, as weird. When I name a stuffed animal, a whole personality and background form in my mind. Now they aren’t just objects…they have names!
I don’t think it’s just me being crazy. People are serious about names. They give identity, they give meaning, they make us who we are. A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but it wouldn’t be a rose!
Here is a poem about names that I simply love!
The Naming Of Cats by T. S. Eliot
The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey--
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
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