My real name is Nanita and I like that it's uncommon. I don't know what kind of names I'll give any kids I might have. Thank goodness I didn't have them when I was a teenager though. They would have been named Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig. And a little later I went through a period inspired by Gatsby where I started off with Jordan, which is fine, but then I kept going, with India and China.

So many many reasons to be thankful I wasn't a teen mommy.

So many many reasons to be thankful I wasn't a teen mommy.

I shudder to think of how many poor babies in the next few years are going to be saddled with Reneesme

Yay! Chicago wins!

That surprised me a little, for some reason.

I think that the only thing I'm sure of for my kids' names would be that I'll name them something that has only one standard spelling. Giving my name as "Hillary-with-two-Ls" gets old really fast. Especially when combined with a last name that people spell wrong even when I spell it out for them.

(I kind of love the name Elinor, spelled that way. But this is why I could never name a kid that.)

I'll name them something that has only one standard spelling

Don't bet on it. I've been asked how I spell Connie. I blinked at the person and said, "How many ways can you spell Connie other than the obvious?" She said, "Well, you might have a K, or a Y, or only one N."

My siblings (Hilary and Geoffrey) sympathize, for sure.

Right now, my hypothetical future children's names are Esther Basia and Isaac Henry. Which actually violate several of my rules for children's names (Basia is too difficult to spell, and I've always said I won't name my kids any names that have sounds I have trouble saying, which means no S, Sh, Ch, Z, or J.)

Oooh, Barry Callebaut, tops in high-class chocolate sales worldwide, is opening a U.S. Chocolate Academy in Chicago! It's their first one here in the States.

The Chocolate Academy is the only one of its kind with worldwide locations, offering a diverse range of seminars, demonstrations, theoretical courses and practical workshops designed to inspire artisans and culinary professionals, including pastry chefs, confectioners, bakers and caterers, from around the globe. Award-winning French pastry chef, Jerome Landrieu, will serve as technical advisor for the Academy.

I'm sure that they'll have a nice little store to shop at, either there at the academy or at their North American HQ next door.

Right now, my hypothetical future children's names are Esther Basia and Isaac Henry.

I love those names! My niece who is almost 8 months old is an Esther (looking goofy! [link]

My mortgage lender wants me to refi my mortgage and I'm not sure what to do. It would be a half point drop in interest rate - so not a ton but not nothing, but it's an FHA loan that requires a 1.5% insurance premium (on top of what I'm told is a lower monthly mortgage insurance payment). No other closing costs. He's supposed to be getting back to me soon with the exact numbers on everygthing, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

(It's 30-year fixed either way - no ARM or any craziness. It does feel like a weird time to be talking about this though.)