My god today is dragging. I've got another 4 hours to go. Blah.

I'm trying to subtly find out more about it--no dice.

ita's about to join MIB

That happened to me a bunch of times, ita. Including, I think, my current company.

I feel like slippers are a slightly weird (warm) gift in August

Huh, I'm almost always barefoot (SoCal), so I only associate them with emotional warmth. But you probably have a point. Well, I'm just throwing out suggestions (because I'm a Helper, not Avoiding Work. Nope, that's not it at all.)

ita's about to join MIB

Difference between ita and me? She makes this look good.

Turns out Xyla is a Greek name meaning "Of the wooded land".

Of course, I learned this via someone correcting her father who said he believed it was a made up name. Hilarious.

someone correcting her father who said he believed it was a made up name

My nephew has a daughter named Azlyn (but doesn't play scrabble that I'm aware of). He said he knew a girl in HS with the name, but they changed the spelling, so I'm pretty sure it's a corruption of the Irish name Aisling.

I'm pretty sure in this case it just means it was the mom's pick.

Are they pronouncing it Hi-la? I need my Greek speaking uncle here to help me a bit, but the X at the beginning should sound like an H, I think.

Then again, we mispronounce my K's Greek name on purpose, so don't listen to me.

Oh, where's Sox: speaking of our Greek speaking uncle. When K saw him this time she said, "He looks like Grandpa but he talks a lot more."

It's why a xylophone has wooden keys (xylophone = "wood-voice").

Cool. I have learned something new today so I can goof off the rest of the day.

I was just informed that criticizing anything that Israel has done, ever, means that I support Hamas and want Israel to be destroyed. I need to stop discussing this stuff with my relatives.