I dated a guy in college who called himself J.A., because he didn't like his given first and middle names. When people asked him what it stood for, he always replied, "Junior Achievement. My parents wanted me to succeed."

Sometimes people believed him.

I seem give people completely random and nonsensical nicknames. Like the time I renamed our friend Todd to Bertram Woogums the III. Everyone calls him Woogums now, and he answers to it.

Heh. My friend Farrah, who is, of course, nothing like Farrah Fawcett, in that she is a black Hatian lesbian butchy-type girl, is occasionally known as "Tad" to our friends, because we like to tease her that secretly, inside, she is a straight white preppy male. Dude. She plays *squash*.

Dude. She plays *squash*.

My sister loves squash. I've only ever thought of it in terms of "at least we don't have to chase the balls that far" terms. Never actually looked around. I wonder if that's a country thing--I mean Venus and Serena (and Arthur and all them) made such waves, but of course there are tons of black people in Jamaica playing tennis. There are tons of black people.

Oh, there are other things. Including the one time she sang "Sweet Home Alabama" at karaoke.

As I mentioned earlier, my mom's name is Eunice. When people ask her if she hates her name, she shakes her head vehemently and says, "My mother almost named me 'Wanda Hope.' I am forever grateful for Eunice."

I don't think I ever got teased for Susan, but when my classmates found out my middle name, I did get "EU-nice!" the way it was said on the Carol Burnett Show. I was always proud of the connection with my grandmother, but I was in my 20's before I decided the name itself was retro cool. My grandmother was actually Daisy Eunice, but always went by her middle, and most of the more interesting names on my family tree are on her branch--I think Idella was her mother and Lutera her grandmother, and Colonel Maneus Lemley F., where Colonel was a name and not a military rank, was her grandfather.

Wait, wait, how do you pronounce the "a" in Garson? 'Cause I bet I've been saying "Gar" wrong in my head all these years.

It doesn't rhyme with "Tar"? Uh oh.

There's also a blues singer and songwriter named Candye Kane.

She has an excellent voice. And at times she plays piano with her breasts. Fun show. Maybe even more so for my DH.

I love squash. I don't think it's quite so preppy-associated in Canada as in the US.

Including the one time she sang "Sweet Home Alabama" at karaoke.

Sometimes I feel like a foreigner. Which, since I am, is something you'd think I'd be more used to.

Still? Thunderthighs? Can totally be a compliment. I'm holding that close to my chest.

I've spent the better part of the week staring at women's thighs (US Open, thanks), and damn. I need my muscles back. They're so pretty out there, with their muscles and their short skirts. Though Serena's not having a good open of it. I saw some cellulitey pictures, and then there was her whole exit interview snottiness.

Still, don't matter how much cellulite she's packing. Girl can outpress us all.