Random Thoughts 19

Here is something that has perplexed me for years.  If you are going to shorten my name down to one syllable, how should it be spelled?  To me, it makes sense to spell it "Rache" because leaving the E on the end of the name gives the A at the beginning a long "ay" sound.  However, most people seem to spell it "Rach".  When I see it spelled that way, it looks to me like it should rhyme with "catch" rather than sound like the first syllable of my name.  I have seen it spelled "Rache" in some publications (for example, in the script of Inherit the Wind when Kevin performed in it*), but it's not the norm.

I'm not going to argue about how one should spell the shortened version of my name. For this one, you can spell it however you want.  I have enough trouble trying to stop people from  spelling my full name without that stupid, extra, unnecessary "a" at the end.  (Curse you Rachael Ray for popularizing the dumb incorrect spelling of my name.  Also curse you for being untalented, annoying, and a mediocre cook, but that's beside the point.)

*It was convenient for Kevin's theatrical love interest to be named Rachel/Rache.  He decreased his chances of getting her name wrong on stage. 

One thing people should know about me is that one should never address me by a term of endearment when I am not, in fact, dear to you.  Do not address me as "honey" or "sweetheart" or "hon" if I am not your sweetheart or honey.  I don't even like being addressed that way by people who are close to me (Kevin rarely uses anything more endearing than the above-mentioned "Rache" [or is it "Rach"?] and I don't expect any more from him).  

I don't address people - especially strangers - that way and I expect the same respect.  Addressing strangers in such a familiar way is infantilizing.  It's talking down.  It's establishing a lack of equality.  Even when someone who isn't a stranger starts addressing me out of the blue as "hon" I know he isn't suddenly telling me I'm extra special.  It is a scold.  It was meant to be treating me as a child.  

I won't have it.  If you are not a close member of my family (and my close family members rarely talk to me this way) and you address me by a term of endearment I will do one of the following:  If I like you, I will politely ask you to stop.  If I don't know you, I will ignore you or else I will address you in kind.  Prepare to be addressed as "darling" or "my love" when you call me "honey" or "sweetheart".

If I like you a bit less, I will tell you where you can stick your "sweetheart" and "honey".  

Why is it when I buy potatoes, I can buy russet potatoes in whatever quantity I want, but I can only buy Yukon Golds in a five-pound bag?  I don't like potatoes that much, but I do prefer the taste of Yukon Golds to that of russets. If I want potatoes, I have to buy way more than I need.  I can buy a single russet, but I hate russets and would never buy them unless I want to make French fries, which I rarely do. I end up with a five-pound bag of Yukon Golds and then I have to figure out ways to use them before they go bad.

Things I have learned as a fan of British television:  The British can't do anything without drinking tea.  No matter what show I watch, before anyone can accomplish anything, someone has to "Put the kettle on."

                                                      

I may be a stickler about grammar, and I know the difference between "its" and "it's", but I have this horrible habit of never being able to type "its".  Every time I type the possessive, my fingers end up typing the contraction.  I can't seem to help myself.  I guess the truth is I may be a good grammarian, but I am a terrible typist.

As I head into the Christmas season and finalize my shopping (the one advantage of growing older is I seem to have fewer gifts to buy) I begin to realize Christmas shopping has become too easy.  We buy a Visa gift card.  Maybe we buy a specific gift card to Amazon or some other giant online store, which is almost the same thing.  At holidays we say, "Here is some money.  Go buy what you want."

It all seems so impersonal to me.  We don't put any thought into buying gifts.  To me, buying gifts means we are giving a little of ourselves.  When we buy an actual gift, we are saying we know something about the recipient.  I noticed my husband's desk chair was falling apart, so I bought him a new chair.  I saw a friend admiring makeup bags in a gift shop saying she needed new makeup bags, so I bought her a makeup bag.  My grandmother was infamous for always worrying about things, so I bought her some Guatemalan worry dolls.  At the very least, if you're going to buy a gift card, why not have it align with that person's interests?  Buy him a card to a specialized store associated with his favorite hobby.  Buy her a gift card to her favorite restaurant.  

I also think we have become afraid to ask for what we want or to ask our friends and family what they want.  That's the main reason I keep a wish list on Amazon.  I keep a list of things I want or need at varying price points so friends and family have a little more connection to me when they give me a gift, but fear buying something I hate.

Maybe I'm unique in this, or I have exceptionally wonderful friends and family, but often the gifts I don't ask for and don't expect can be some of the best gifts of all.  There is still something wonderful about a good surprise.  I love receiving something I always wanted even if I never knew I wanted it until I opened it.

I know some friends and family members are impossible to buy for and a gift card may be the only option you have, but I would bet most people in your life are not that difficult.  

I suppose I shouldn't complain.  If you buy me a generic gift card, I'm going to use it.  I won't turn it down for being too impersonal.

(That random thought was so long it could have been its (<=Look I typed it correctly this time) own post.  Maybe I should make a new post for this?  I suppose it's too late.)

                                                                            

When Trump lost the election, my first thought was he would give the country a hair flip and leave Washington DC.  He would slink off to Mar-a-Lago, claiming it was to celebrate the holidays, and stay there, refusing to do any actual governing.  That was naive of me.  Of course he isn't going to leave the White House. He may not be doing much governing, but he is doing whatever it is he is doing from the White House.  Leaving the White House - even for a vacation - would be admitting defeat.  He is going to stay there until he is forced to leave.

That's what scares me.  Will they need to force him to leave?  How much force will need to be applied?  Is there going to be an all-out war over this?  Will there be Trump supporters ready to fire back at the Secret Service if they escort him out?  Will there be rogue military gathered in the streets ready for a real coup-d'etat?  This country has never seen anything like this before.  How will it be handled?