Just a quick post because EVERYONE'S asking me about the name of the pup. I don't want to rush this. I want it to be done right. First off, did I tell ya, I got a puppy! I still can't believe it. I can't really decide on her name so I picked 16 names and did a small poll among a selective group of office colleagues -- call it my own little 'focus group' if you will. Here are the original 16 names I picked and the amount of votes they got.
3 for Samantha (Sam)
3 for Faith
2 for Keira
2 for Skye
2 for Trinity
2 for Phoebe
2 for Lexie
1 for Leah
1 for Maxie
1 for Erin
1 for Caitlin
1 for Ava
NONE for Amelie
NONE for Kim (Kimberly)
NONE for Alex (Alexa)
NONE for Layla
Arings, my friend and colleague is also consulting the numerology charts to come up with other names. But I'm sticking to these ones below. Leave a vote and help me decide. I got the pup from Aringsburg Kennel -- check out the back story on the mom here!
Alcohol is a substance I was introduced to early in life. There's a famous story that my parents told over and over to people on how I first got drunk. I was only two years old. It happened in Beigining -- where I was born. We were the only Christian family at the embassy; naturally my father threw a Christmas party for his colleagues. After a night of drinking and merry conversation, it was time for the guests to leave.
My parents, being gracious hosts, walked the guests to the elevator -- afterall, they lived in the same building. This was Beijing in the early '80s--before the economic liberalization. Movements for foreigners were strict. Diplomats lived in the diplomatic quarters, shopped in super markets designated for diplomats.
Since my parents walked off with the guests, I helped myself to whatever that was leftover in their glasses. When my parents returned, I was fast asleep and all the glasses were empty. And that ladies and gents was the first time I drank.
