What's in a name?

Sitrep: No exercise since last Thursday. Ackk. Tonight is a gym night, though.

And PERFECT CARDIO is now launched. For those of you who've been reading my blog for awhile, this is the latest and greatest from BodyRev, the workout I've been so successful on these last years. Check out their site. http://www.perfectonline.com/store/index.php/cardio_home (Don't forget to read the testimonials.)

I'm being reminded there is quite a bit to choosing names. And that there are way too many choices. I'm having troubles choosing a name that fits my new puppy. I've been calling her Leia, but it's kind of an "eh" name for her. Not like Max, whose name came to me while I was thinking of him, and everyone agrees is his name. But Leia...eh. I'm used to calling her that. She doesn't come to it half the time. Max has come to his name from the get-go.

She is a sweet, loving thing, and looks like a little bear. So I've tried several incarnations of that. Little Bear is too long. And my neighbor's dog is Bear, so there'd be some confusion. The Spanish version is Osita, but the beginning is awkward.

I spent several hours in Barnes & Noble & Borders last week looking up names in baby name books and in pet name books (only one, but they have it!). I've also looked online. Came up with a list of names that I liked. Only they fell flat when I came home and tried them out on her. Names sure are different when you say them out loud.

Names I liked but failed: Osita (little bear), Fala (a crow in Choctaw & also the name of FDRs dog), Lucy (light), Mina (strong willed warrior, blue glass/gem, or south), Mhina (delightful), Olivia, Livvy, Trixie (bringer of joy)...

That last one almost worked. I like the meaning of the name, and it's also the heroine of one of my favorite book series as a kid "Trixie Belden Mysteries". I was going to go with Trixie Belle. Just calling her Trixie. It's still a contender, but is only just above or tied with Leia.

Here's the latest list: 

• Zoe (life)
• Sophie (wisdom)
• Bella (beautiful)
• Esme (Spanish, from Emerald)
• Michi (Guarani, means "little, small", commonly used to call cats in Paraguay).
• Flora (for flower, and for the Skunk in "Bambi". That always tickled my funny bone, and her markings are upside-down skunk; also one of the fairy godmother's in "Sleeping Beauty")

Right now I'm leaning toward Esme or Michi. Will have to try them out verbally later. What do you think?

'A Rose By Any Other Name'

Sitrep: 1x PPU (10 regular, 10 wide, 10 close)

Would definitely smell as sweet...and probably be just as darn prickly.

We had an interesting staff meeting today. Got to discuss the potential first name of our accountants pending grandchild: Atley. She is sooo not thrilled with that. Still insists no grandchild of hers will be called Atley.

Our new Exec just got not one, but two, new puppies. Chocolate brown cocker spaniels. Brothers from the same litter. The puppy was a Valentine's Day present to his wife. (They lost their dog last year, and she has been wanting another one. ) Unfortunately for him (fortunately for the 2nd puppy) he took his daughter with him to pick up the dog. That's how they ended up with the second one. Do men never learn? Really. I don't care if she is in her first year in college. How could he not know she'd insist on getting the other puppy? It was the last one left....

So our weekly staff meeting ended with trying to name a) the grandchild and b) the two puppies.

For the grandkid, we came up with Dean Atley. The reverse of what the parents want, but hey, it's a compromise. And at least the poor kid wouldn't go through school being called Atley! Grandma is still on the "no" bandwagon to using Atley at all. I rather like "Seth" myself.

The dogs, I think, are going to end up Marco & Polo. And now you all can have those dratted names echoing in your heads, like they have been in mine: Maaaarcooooo..............Pooollloooo!