I get phone calls all the time asking for "Anita Crawford" and I just say there is no one here by that name and hang up.

That's what I do whenever I get a call asking for "Mrs. Pete" or "Mrs. Hubs." If you want to make it that obvious to us that you're a telemarketer....

People like that mispronounce my name so badly that I can say "There's nobody here by that name," and not lie.

The boyfriend got a lot of points when he sent me an unexpected gift last week ("for being a wonderful girlfriend"): caffeine molecule earrings. But the best part was the note: it started with "to the one and only javachik,..." Since he has never really "gotten" the online forum thing, it was meaningful to me that he used "javachik".

Thank you, Andi!

The boyfriend got a lot of points when he sent me an unexpected gift last week ("for being a wonderful girlfriend"): caffeine molecule earrings. But the best part was the note: it started with "to the one and only javachik,..." Since he has never really "gotten" the online forum thing, it was meaningful to me that he used "javachik".

Aw.

My grandmother's name was Grace Matilda.

It seems relevant for me to mention that our sporty little MG in the Sixties was named Matilda Grace for her beauty...

Now, I thought you people were Buffistas and liked to write learnedly wheresoever you got the chance. I have to tell you, I lost my bet that at least one of the Buffista visitors to the Felt Farm woulda posted something... Not that the Felt Farm is complaining, mind you. It's happy to get some attention! It's all been in storage for awhile, you see.

Have to admit: I was pronouncing Shir as "Shur" in my head and it sounded a little bit like a Valley Girl was saying it, so at least the "i" sound was short.

My life contains too many people who cannot be trained to call me Katie. No, they like using "Kate," which is perfectly nice, but Not.My.Name.

edit: At least "Kate" is better than "Kathy" for me.

I think of you as Katie bee , but not sure what I've called you in real life. But Katie fits you better than Kate.

I tried to go by elizabeth once , but it never stuck. and a few people tried to call me liz, which was odd.

DH is actually trying to figure out what we spend. yup, budget.

Anybody got an idea how to get a good quick estimate of the sguiggy numbers -- like grocery bills?

At least "Kate" is better than "Kathy" for me.

Both are perfectly lovely names, just not Yours and therefore Not Right.

Now that we're in 2nd semester, my schedule changed so that I have the last period of the day off. Which totally rocks. School doesn't get out for another 5 minutes, but I'm ready to go home. Yay!

AND, my room got new computers! I don't have to wait 4 minutes for Word to open anymore. And, all the classroom computers work! Yay!!! The kids complained that the monitors are not 23", but they can live with the 15" ones and like it. Darn those kids.

Anybody got an idea how to get a good quick estimate of the sguiggy numbers -- like grocery bills?

I use averages. How much, on average, do I spend in a month?

My mouth doesn't want to cooperate.

I know it's the big problem. Trust me, I was the one, after 10 days in the U.S., with an aching jaw from the muscles I pulled trying to pronounce stuff right. So really - I understand. The right r sound is very difficult to pronounce for English speakers, just as it's hard for me to pronounce some sounds in English correctly.

I was pronouncing your name "sheer"

When I'm tired of people asking how to pronounce my name, I tell them to go by this.

I was pronouncing Shir as "Shur" in my head

Again, something I hear a lot from the English speakers.

So apparently the silent r stands for looking around to see if anyone caught me.

The deadly, silent r.