what’s in a (middle) name?
Right at the beginning of my blogging break, new friend Sparky Duck of Philly Transplant fame *almost* tagged me with a meme. You see, he wanted to, but thought I wouldn’t get around to it since I was resting on my laurels (which sounds more flower-scented than it really is, by the way).
So he pseudo-tagged–he threw my name out there during the fateful virtual-finger-pointing moment to get my guilt going. And then Laura from Blame it on Paris thought I might enjoy this one, as did a chap named HART who selected me randomly from the list of 2k bloggers.
So here’s my Middle Name Meme, starting with the rules:
You have to post these rules before you give the facts. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and to read your blog.
A is for Aware
I like to know what’s going on, although not necessarily in a gossipy way. I don’t watch the TV news very often, though, because I usually don’t like its slant on things—always tragedy after tragedy, and let’s put aside any political leanings.
Yes, I know bad things happen all the time, but I’m not sure how it helps me to be a better person to know just how many people are murdered or in car accidents, etc. Don’t good things happen every day too? Yeah, I know that’s not news, but too much of the bad stuff brings me down.
In fact, I finally convinced P of this a little while back, and out of the blue the other day, he thanked me because he’s a much calmer person since we’ve rejected Telegiornale. I’ll take my news via word-of-mouth at the bar, newspaper, or on the Internet, thankyouverymuch, where I can click off (or just stop listening) when something is too disturbing–and I can also seek out feel good stories on my own.
Yeah, I’m one of those.
N is for Nerdy
In a good way, of course. I like to know things, which of course ties into the A above.
If curiosity killed the cat, well, let’s just say I’m happy I’m not a cat. I’m a big ball of “why?” and yes, that annoys some people, but I’ve learned that if you ask questions the right way, people often enjoy giving you the answers–the trick is to phrase things so you don’t appear to be challenging them, only curious.
It’s a tough line to walk, but I do it often. I’m a risk-taker that way.
And I’ll read just about anything I get my hands on, which was true even before getting English reading material wasn’t so easy. I only wish I had a better memory for things, because then I could actually use whatever knowledge I ingest.
I’ve noticed though, that the older I get, the harder it is to remember even the basics sometimes. I mean, I still remember what I had for breakfast and stuff, so I’m not going senile yet, but there’s definitely a change in fact retention.
*sigh*
Ooh, and have I mentioned my addictions to the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic….
N is for Nifty
OK, well *I* think I’m nifty. Besides, this is one of my all-time favorite words. Say it enough and it just starts to sound wrong, like something Suessical, which pretty much explains why I love it. I’m a big fan of fun-sounding words–hi David!
It also reminds me of something one of my grandmother’s friends would say, and I was never sure if she was trying to be hip or just so far out of word fashion that she came back in.
Plus, come on, there aren’t a lot of great words starting with N out there, are there?
So now I must tag. Mwahahhahahaaa!
I’m going to tag the three lovely women who promoted my Bella Bags E-Party and Contest on their site–do be sure and visit them!
1. Amanda: a stay at home mom’s point of view
2. Lizza: I am Woman, See Me Blog!
Some thanks that is, huh ladies?!
By the way, if anyone else mentioned it on their blog, please let me know, and I’ll give you some extra special linky love here soon.
And if you weren’t tagged, please don’t take this to mean you can’t still do this meme–meme away!
—————
[tags]middle name meme, memes[/tags]
31 Beans of Wisdom to “what’s in a (middle) name?”
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
Definitely nifty! Thanks for playing. 🙂
Your middle name is the same as mine!Hey, maybe that means I’m also AwareNerdyNifty! 🙂
I have the same middle name as you and Deb R. I’m glad you didn’t tag me because I would have had to steal your answers. =)
Are you really all those things? Then that makes for a very interesting person. No wonder we visit here.
And Thank You for stopping by. You’ve put a smile on my face.
You are a joy, Ms Sognatrice. What a nice peek into the middle of you.
“Nifty” is a pretty . . . nifty word. If you don’t mind, I just may steal that one for an upcoming “Words I Like” list.
wahhhhhhhhhhh
i don’t have a middle name so i don’t get to play
Laura, my pleasure! Thanks for coming by 🙂
Deb, I think between Ann, Marie and Lynn, that probably covers about 90% of the people I know born in the 70s. What is *up* with that?
-R-, and another Ann! You can steal my answers anytime; I won’t sue.
Irene, I really am! I’m glad you like my geeky self 😉
David, please do! The only thing better than fun words are shared fun words 🙂
Ritu, ah, but the rules say you can choose one you would’ve liked to have had and play with that name…so feel free to get creative!
Thanks for playing! I enjoyed reading that! (and, also found a new link for my Bloglines)
Take care // HART
Your blog’s informative is very rich in contents. I like your way of
presentation. At times I disagree with your views but thinking about it who
presents views that are acceptable to everyone. Keep posting your good
blogs.
I always knew you were Aware, but Nerdy and Nifty shock me, well somewhat at least 😉
FUN!
I’m a DI anne!
Hope you had a great weekend!
Well, I do think you’re nifty. And being aware and nerdy are good things too. Yay for pretty nerds! 🙂
It was a lot of fun and lovely writing, as usual!
I have an on again off again thing for Anderson Cooper, which had me watching 2 hours of news, 5 nights a week. Finally I had to stop. It was like taking a depression pill every night. I tape it from time to time, and watch bits, funny things, and human interest things that I think do inform me for a good reason. But the truth is, I don’t handle the news well; and like you said “how does it make the world a better place?” all this telling me horrible things.
Sadly my husband still sees fit to keep me informed. ( I wish I could get him to stop watching, and listening to it on radio)
I wish I was nerd. I like information, but I don’t remember it (not an age related thing, just the way it always was). If only I was smarter, I could be a nerd too.
Nifty is great. I like swell as well. Up with verbal silliness.
Yep, born in 70’s middle name Lynn
Love that meme, but I also don’t have a middle name. I just wanted to say I really identify with your wish not to watch tv news. I made this decision about 5 years ago, and also (shock horror) don’t get the newspaper anymore. I found I couldn’t desensitize myself to all the awfulness and couldn’t see past it to anything else. I know if anything is happening that I need to know, my husband, mother or friend in Cananda will call and tell me, and for the rest, I choose my reading material carefully so that I am taking in info I am interested in. Occasionally I steal the arts or food & travel sections from my neighbour’s paper, but I figure there is so much out there that no-one can keep up with it all anyway. Plus, now I have the bloggin world. How else would I have known about the pasta strike?
I was tagged for the middle name meme. I liked the way you explained your choice. Nice job.
Great meme. Loved your answers
What a fun meme!
Laughing… and I know you will shake your head and smile…
I haven’t had cable in about 7 years… can’t stand watching all the JUNK they have out on it.. bleh!!
But… the Discovery Channel, National Geo, American Movie Classics or Ted Turners classics (Casablanca, Bringing up baby… etc), the History Channel absolutely…
those I could lose myself in for days.
Nifty is perfectly fine.
Neat
Nice
Needed
Neighborly
Noble
Nonchalant
Nonconformist
Notable
Noteworthy
Nurturing
and
Naturally wonderful
Take your pick dahlin.
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
PS – missed you so much!
Hart, phew! Glad to know I’m off the hook 🙂
Tom, um, thanks!
Sparky, I’m full of surprises. Or at least fun words!
JennieBoo, pretty middle name! Will you be doing/have you done the meme?
Lizza, why thank you kindly!
Jen, it was nice to lighten things up after all that strike talk 😉
Taffiny, I think I understand what you’re talking about, although my issue may or may not have had to do with Stone Phillips. And Brian Williams.
As for the memory thing, I’m thinking you just needed to be taught different memory techniques. Some of us are lucky and have naturally good retention skills, but there are tricks as well–and believe me, as I get older, I am using a lot more of them.
Swell is just swell as well, and I knew we’d find a Lynn in the bunch if we looked hard enough 😉
AV, I’m so glad to hear that I’m not the only one on this (not that I really thought I was); I was reluctant to even write about not watching the news because deep down I think maybe it sounds socially irresponsible or something…but I don’t think I’m actually socially irresponsible (and I’m sure you’re not either). Guess that’s something else they feed us so we’ll watch 😉
Nadine, thanks, and thanks for visiting 🙂
Shan, thank you much…I know you’re dying to do this one…come on….
Scarlett, hah! I knew it! And you *are* a fountain of words that start with N–I’ll take ’em all, thanks. If my middle name had a G in it, I guess I’d be Greedy 😉
ann….i’m definitely partial to that one! 😉
Qualcosa, I think I knew that 😉
You lucked out on that meme, having only a three-letter middle name! 🙂 My middle name contains an “x,” so I don’t think I’m going to even try playing along with this one.
Stefanie, oooh, I’m intrigued…do it! Come on! You’re not xenophobic by chance, are you? Could you start in time to do the meme?
oh waht a fun MEME. my daughter’s middle name is Anne. I think toyr NIFTY too
Sognatrice, I’m one of “those” too. I refuse to watch the news for the same reasons as you, and people always look at me as if I’m uncaring about the world when I tell them this. But it isn’t because I don’t care about what is going on in the world, it is because I care too much. I’m sort of like a sponge when it comes to the pains of the world, I take them all in. So, when I watch all the horrible things on the news, I cry, and I can’t handle all that negativity. So I choose not to watch, and do a brief browse on the internet most days, just so I’m in the loop.
Glad to know there are others who feel the same way.
By the way, I didn’t comment on the pasta strike post below, but I wanted to tell you I love that picture!
This is so cute! hmmm; I may have to steal this at some point… 🙂
We share the middle name except I have a nice E on the end 🙂
Lovely descriptors!
And if you promise to enjoy a fig for me I will have a cup of pumpkin spice for you.
Amanda, I love the name “Anne” (more than Ann, shhh) 🙂
Karina, it’s a difficult balance, isn’t it? Being informed without being overwhelmed? We each have to do what is right for us, and I can honestly say that my day to day life is better without nightly news programs. To each her own, of course 🙂
Metalia, please do! You can even have my “nifty” if you have an N 😉 Thanks for visiting!
Tori, another “Anne.” So pretty! I think our figs are pretty much done for the year, but believe me–I ate plenty in return for a little pumpkin spice! Thanks for stopping by!
Oooh, cool idea! I’m definitely bookmarking this post so I can take part, too.
Oh, and I’m rather nerdy, too – good thing I also have an “n” in my middle name, haha.
Nerds Around the Globe, Unite!
Alicia, yeah! Go Nerds! Can’t wait to read your meme 🙂