More ta da

This is Christopher, I'd like to add something to Kathy's last post.

The night we found out, Kathy came out of the bathroom and said "I know why I've been acting crazy."

We laughed and celebrated and looked up names in the Oxford English Dictionary, which shows what kind of nerds we are. We've had over a year to think of names, because we've been trying for a while. If we have a girl, we'll name her Ermenie, and if a boy, Truman.

Ermenie is my grandmother's name and etymologically related (in my mind, at least) to Hermes, the god of writing. We'd call her Emmie.

The Greek Hermes is the Egyptian Thoth

Truman was a U.S. president, but we won't name our baby after him because he was a war criminal. Truman has the simple meaning of "true man" but is also next to "trumeau" in the dictionary. Trumeau is "a pillar supporting the middle of the tympanum of a church doorway." This brings to mind the pillars Boaz and Jachin that adorned Solomon's temple.

So it's like naming your kid "The Rock" in nerd-tongue.

If you steal our names, I'll curse you (with cuss words, not voodoo).

I still can't believe it's true, but Kathy throws up a lot to prove it to me.

ta da!

Told you I'd let you know.

From my sis

Yes it's a bit last minute, but I was wondering if any of you would like to write something for my blog for tomorrow. If you don't know, I'm doing the blogathon (http://www.blogathon.org) for RAINN (www.rainn.org) tomorrow. Starting at 6am, I'm updating every 30 minutes for 24 hours. It's to support RAINN and get word out too. See, general society doesn't talk too much about rape and abuse, so men and women who've been raped or abused have trouble talking about it, even reporting it. I'm writing my blog for that reason; to be a voice out there.

If you want, write a little bit about me; how you found out about the rape, how it affected you, etc etc. Or you can write about who I am to you today, or...well, whatever pleases you (look at my blog for examples)! And I do my best to not put any names out except mine for protection and whatnot. If you want names in it, change the names, and the names can be simple (Bob) to outrageous (The Black Lagoon Monster or Whatserface).

It isn't necessary, of course. I'm just asking that if you'd like and have free time tomorrow, write some things and send it to me via this email.

If you don't want to, than I ask that you donate (http://www.blogathon.org/pledge.php?blogid=178 [you have to sign up,but it's quick and worth it!], promote my blog on facebook or through email (http://aixela-twentynothing.blogspot.com/), or donate directly to RAINN through their website.

Thank you thank you and thank you a thousand times over.
--
Thank you,
Alexia Stout

My Sister's Blog

My sister started a blog where she deals with the issues and thoughts she has from her experience of being raped as a child.

Check it out.

Anyone who knows someone who has been abused should recommend them to this blog.

My sister is there to help and comfort other victims, as well as to give an inside perspective to those who have friends or family members dealing with these same issues.

She welcomes feedback.

such endless determination has got to be a superpower

Remember that one time when I waited too long to buy the rug I liked that would match my house? When it went out of stock, I searched online and spent ages on the phone with a pleasant but thoroughly unhelpful young man. Well, I sent my complaint off into the internet and someone decided to do something about it:











Meet my super cousin, who does not give up in the face of discouragement, or even downright rejection—and who whipped out some pretty superhuman perseverance to send me a rug.

She had no idea her power would be so thoroughly tested. The rug was lost twice in transit and reshipped three times. Every time it was, she had to find the same rug in a different store, which led her to call both coasts and everywhere in between. She probably should have told me to forget it—that's what I got for delayed rug-buying. But she didn't. And yesterday, the rug arrived.

Thanks, Laur. Our apartment looks super.

some iPod

My sister is staying with us this week and she's learning how to get used to her brother-in-law's constant teasing. Most of the time, she picks up on the tone in his voice and says, "You're silly!" But sometimes, she doesn't have enough context to know quite how to react.

Like this afternoon. We saw someone carrying a tape player like this:



















Christopher said, "Wow. Look at that guy's iPod." My sister stared without cracking a smile. She'd never seen an iPod quite like that before.