megan - I fear I will never be able to address you again.

The French wouldn't be too bad, Hec manages. Growing up, I don't think I ever heard anyone, including my father, pronounce my mom's name correctly.

The Polish would be the real sticking point. When I was in academia I thought about insisting on it, but I lived for too long with it the "American" way.

I am suddenly very proud I have not Americanized my name.

Tino must have decided to give me a pass for the day, because things are working out better for me today. Perkins seems pretty much back to normal, and the vet said she didn't see any reason why Jezzie Sophie couldn't come back in a couple of weeks.

I am suddenly very proud I have not Americanized my name.

Your name is already Americanized! I mean, isn't it German?

But we pronounce it the German way.

German = American, is what I'm saying.

Your name is already Americanized! I mean, isn't it German?

It's true. Germans are the dominant American ethnicity by numbers. Hence, we are the default and everybody else is an outlier who should conform to our krautmaking, spaetzel-eating, word-conjoining ways.

Also, we like to conquer the world periodically. Or more accurately, we like to try.

msbelle, thanks for the socks! We seriously needed them because Owen refuses to go barefoot even outside and he tends to go through socks very quickly.

We also met a friend of my sister's and their adopted baby boy from Ethiopia. That baby made my ovaries ache, he resets the scale on adorable.

Also, we like to conquer the world periodically. Or more accurately, we like to try.

Reminds me of the Bette Midler line about her husband being German: "Every night, I dress up like Poland, and he invades me."

I have no idea how I could Americanize my name. Drop the 'ana' from the first name, sure, but the last is nsm Americanize-able.

I have no idea how I could Americanize my name. Drop the 'ana' from the first name, sure, but the last is nsm Americanize-able.

Ellis Island Official: Your new name is...Julie Eggs.