Don't know about naming conventions, but i know older Jews who don't like to celebrate Birthdays because that might attract the evil eye. They don't like compliments for themselves or for people they care about for the same reason. Of course Jewish naming tradition is to name the kid after dead people. Naming after someone living is bad luck. (If a name happens to be coincidentally the same as someone living that is fine as long as the intent was to name after someone dead, usually a dead relative. ) Don't encounter this much among the young or middle aged. Usually over 70 and actually not that common there. Much more common when you get to 80 and above. Althougha lot of middle aged Jews I know say canahurrah (sorry don't know the right spelling,but that is not it) when any good fortune is mentioned, and "knock on wood" or when potential bad fortune is mentioned.

Of course Jewish naming tradition is to name the kid after dead people. Naming after someone living is bad luck.

The way that I've heard this tradition explained is that it might confuse the Angel of Death, and when the Angel of Death comes to take the older person, he might accidentally take the baby instead, if the baby and the older person have the same name. You don't need to worry about that if the older person is already dead.

It seems like the Angel of Death is easily confused by names. There's also a tradition of changing someone's name if they're close to death, because if they have a different name, then the Angel of Death won't be able to find them.

I'm pretty sure that most of these traditions are just Ashkenazic. And I know that German Jews are more OK with giving someone the same name as a living person than Eastern European Jews are. German Jews who came to the US would frequently imitate the "American" traditions and name the first son after the father, while Eastern European Jews who came to the US would almost never do that.

Just had annual review. Very complimentary, but that doesn't really help all that much, y'know? I'm glad my boss has lots of confidence in me, but that doesn't help get the work done...

(ETA: I should say, much better than that they give me too much work and then berate me for not finishing it! Could be much worse)

Hopefully my sister remembers what the hell I'm half remembering about the naming crap.

I just called to activate my replacement credit card, and I'm happily entering my CC# and stuff, and it hands me over to a person. I'm thinking something's wrong, but when I asked her "Why human?" she said "Oh, if a person's available they turn it over to us, for the personal touch."

I did mention that some customers are actually trying to avoid being touched, but I doubt Citibank will be taking me up on that.

Has someone posted this before? Barack Obama being adorable with adorable children: [link]

$1408

$1408

That's how much fraudulent charges were racked up on my credit card.

MOTHER FUCKERS.

Oh, and thirteen cents.

Mostly in Barstow.

Happy birthday, Jessica!

Happy anniversary, Teacups!

And yipes, ita! Thank dawg you caught those charges.

I am home from campus. So why am I drinking coffee and grading?

Barack Obama being adorable with adorable children:

I love watching that man with babies.

There's an Obama and Kids tumblr: [link]

Ouch ita! Did you notice this, or did the company? I'm always a bit worried it'll happen and I won't notice until I get my credit card statement (I have mint, but don't check it consistently)