Aarikavination

What does your name mean and why did your parents choose it for you? 
Submitted by mommy2two.

When my father went to register for my social security number when I was six months old, the lady behind the plexiglass looked at my name and said to him, there in 1980 in the middle of Ohio, "Is your wife black?" I guess the implication being that African-Americans were more apt to name their children something as bizarre as Aarika than Caucasian folks and as my father is boringly pale, it had to be some Nubian goddess that he had tucked away at home. Of course, now we're living in the time of Pilot Inspektor and Jermajesty so people of all races and creeds can screw up their children's lives by making their names impossible to take seriously. Huzzah!

I don't know that my name means anything but when people ask if it's Scandinavian, I guess I could probably say that it is by spelling but not by design. I was named Aarika because my older brother is Aaron and my parents, as the story goes, were watching a local beauty pageant on television and one of the women was being said as "Erica" but spelled "Aarika" and there it was. If I'd been a boy, I would be Aarik and I paved the way for my younger sister who rounds out the bottom of our batting order of double-A names - Aalison.

What are three things you want to learn, and three things you can teach others to do? 
Submitted by bookishbiker.

To learn: the names and works of major composers, the names and works of major artists and the location of the perfect messenger bag.

To teach: how to speak backwards, how to stun and amaze your friends with your trivial knowledge of B-list celebrities and how to charm the hell out of all men in the six months-to-ten years and sixty-to-seventy years age categories.

When I got home from work last night at 8:30, I was tired and upset and cold and frustrated and confused and just all turned around with the world. And starving, as the only thing I'd had to eat that day was a handful of pretzels and a cold slice of pizza that I scarfed down during my break. But I was utterly paralyzed about what to order, though I knew I wanted to order something. I consulted with my friend who suggested several places ... all of whom were no longer delivering by the time I actually decided what I wanted to eat.

I tried rationalizing that perhaps this meant I wasn't actually hungry. But I was, I knew I was, and I hadn't had any sort of appetite for a few weeks and wanted to reward my hunger with, you know, sustenance. As a treat.

Finally, I ordered a pizza with pepperoni and green peppers. And I had angst about it because so rarely in my life have I just ordered something for myself without regard for others. It's such a stupidly simple thing, asking for what you want and then getting it and not having to feel bad about that. I need to deprogram many facets of me.

When is the last time you stayed up all night?

March 23rd. From the hospital to Beta Sigma to orientation for my new job.

What a week.

Cutest/saddest photo ever.

Video: Show us a clip of a TV show you miss.

I'm just such a sucker for the late 40's style. "Homefront" used to make me happy when I was eleven and twelve. It was the first time I got attached to a show and then had it cancelled far too soon. But not the last time. (I'm looking at YOU, "Sports Night.") Also, it gave me the opportunity to ogle a baby-faced Kyle Chandler every week.  Though, according to IMdB, he was as old then as I am now. I'm so young!

Or not. But, you know. This show isn't out on DVD yet. Shameful.

This is a meme that is kind of going around. I saw it here. Should I be doing other things instead of this? I should. But, really, what could be more important than making fun of what the hell I put on my Netflix queue? Nothing!

(When did I become someone who asks herself questions compulsively and then answers them? Recently.)

27. L.A. Story - I love this movie but I guess I just never got around to buying it. So I stuck it on my queue some time ago and now it's sitting there waiting, patiently. Steve Martin is a god.

28. Wall Street - I've never seen it. It's one of those things that I should see, probably. Especially with my affection for the Sheen family.

29. The Muppets Take Manhattan - This movie reminds me of my brother who will occasionally break out into the "Meat makes me ILL, GIL" routine with seemingly no provocation.

30. Rear Window - I reference this movie as if I have, in fact, seen it. I have not. I added it during a run of adding all the unseen Woody Allen/Alfred Hitchcock movies.

31. To Kill A Mockingbird - I love the book, I love the movie, I love the Peck.

32. Raising Arizona - Someone just referenced this movie in a really touching way today. I think it's such a beautifully done thing and Nicolas Cage is awesome in it.

Show us a candle burning.

Candle config.

Video: Show us some great dancing.

This video makes me happy in two ways. Firstly, upon viewing it for the first, second and third-through-eleventh times, it brings me glee. Secondly, I think I'm just happy it exists in the world even if I'm not actively engaged in the watching of the video. I just like knowing it's there. Kind of like how I feel about John Cusack movies.

As seen on the website of the inimitable (co-star of the video with his friend, Colleen) Steve Geluso.

What are your favorite weird food combinations?
Submitted by Dulce.

The most expensive vanilla ice cream combined with the cheapest saltine crackers equals deliciousness in a bowl. You have to just throw the crackers right on top of the ice cream and then crack them apart (hey, "crack" the "crackers," I just got that!) and then the salt and the crackers filter down and meld with the ice cream to form a taste that, when it hits my tongue, reminds me of both chocolate-covered pretzels - because of the sweet/salt - and my childhood - because my maternal grandmother was the one who taught me to do this.

I'm spending the evening with two old friends of mine from high school, watching movies and eating greasy foods of some nature. It's kind of odd/awesome because while one of these women I see every few months in passing at the grocery store, I haven't seen the other AT ALL in almost ten years and I haven't, of course, seen either of them socially in the same amount of time. And the one that I see in passing exchanged phone numbers with me a month or so ago and we said that we'd call each other but that means, in Acquaintance Speak, that we would NEVER call each other but then she called me this morning to wake me up and say that I should hang out and that they both want to see me because we haven't seen each other in FOREVER and because what am I, too good for them now? And I laughed and replied, "Yes, of course I am too good for you both but I'd love to hang out."

It's nice to have one's presence requested from surprising old flashbacky corners.