Baby Names

Last week I flew into London and was able to share dinner and drinks with my cousin David. We were discussing (over pints of Kronenbourg) names for children and a couple he and his wife Sarah are fond of. We each lamented over the fact that having dated someone and/or harboring a crush on a person negates some otherwise perfectly good options. For example, because of a few dates in college, I would no longer choose the names Fahim or Abheek, which clearly topped my list as a child.

"Does this mean," David asked, "that you couldn't name a child 'J', "Sweet', or 'Sour'?" Anyone who has had the opportunity to meet a gentleman by the name of Jerry Kerr will easily imagine my guffaw.

Recent adventure

I just got back from a trip to Tel Aviv. While in Israel I took a bus to Jerusalem and took a hop on-hop off bus tour through the city. It was very surreal to be walking around Jerusalem where Jesus walked. The bus tour identified important sites such as where Jesus ascended into heaven, the temple where he hid with his disciples from the Romans, the Mount of Olives, and where King David is buried. I hopped off the bus to walk around the Old City for a few hours, looking fairly Biblical (I was wearing a scarf over my head) and evidently fairly local because different people approached me for directions while I was there. I asked a colleague if I looked Israeli and he said, "You could pass for Ashkenazi."
Strangers: Excuse me, can you tell me where is the Garden of Gethsemane?
Me (in my head): Um, I think in Matthew?

My most practical purchase ever.

Conversation with my niece

Audrey: Ears are gross.
Sarah: Why?
Audrey: Because of ear whack. [sic] Ear whack is the color of Pluto.
Sarah: Hahahahahahahahahahaha!

Mardi Gras

I flew into Lafayette for the Krewe of Carnivale en Rio Mardi Gras Ball on January 9 with my friends Brett and Ameara. This year's theme was Motown, and Ameara's aunt was part of the royal party (dressed as Patti Labelle for a Motown theme). The ball was super fun and we danced the whole night.

Molly put me in my place for calling her Don King with a chic new haircut. Such a cutie.

The time I went outside this winter.

Crystal and I decided to make a snowman after the blizzard in December. The middle ball (pretty much exactly the same size as the bottom ball) was too heavy for us, so our friend Jay came outside in shorts and a t-shirt to help us assemble our snowman. The snowman had no forethought, hence the lack of arms, a carrot nose, etc. The weather warmed up pretty dramatically the next week, so he was short-lived: