A Rose By Any Other Name...

Do names matter? I've always been curious about names. I'll Google name meanings, studying the list of popular baby names and because I write bought a baby name book that's not just the meaning of names but what people think when they hear that name.

K and I don't want to have kids yet but I've had a list of baby names going in my head for years. Names float in and out and names I liked at 12 - like Elizabeth - wouldn't make the top 50 now. I gravitate towards names that are unique, not-popular (anything in the top 100 of popular baby names makes me cringe) and slightly old-fashioned (names my great-grandmother and maybe even my grandmother would have loved). I loved Ava for the longest time until Ava cracked the top 10 list and I don't want my future daughter to be Ava X for the rest of her life. I guard my little list with a vengence and am fearful of telling anyone incase they steal my name (ala Rachel in Friends) - I may not need it for ten years but I want it there just in case.

This brings me to my point - I will read any story that talks about names. And today, CNN had a story asking "Does your name shape your destiny?". There are a lot of studies that say yes. One of the studies they cite talks about how babies with names that start with C or D do worse in schools than their A/B named counterparts. You have the question are the teachers just lazy or is little Colin destined to be worse at math or English than say Abigail. Another study found that women named after states (like Virginia for example) are more likely to move to their namesake. Coincidence? And in Freakonomics, the authors discuss naming - everything from what a child's named to the education level of the mother, to lower income and less educated people naming their child after what the middle class children who in turns parents named them after the upper class children.

So does your name mean anything? Lets take a non-scientific quiz of my own design for a second to prove a point... that at least you name will prejudge you. I'll write the name and you say the first thing you think of. You don't have to share. No one will judge but I bet you think of something for each one.

Tiffany
Amber
Floyd
Sandra
Fabio

Ok the last one was a bit of a joke. I doubt there are many baby Fabio's running around but you did get an image - right?

I like names. I thought of something different for each one in my list. Tiffany's parents are wanna-be's they fall into the same category of parents that name their kids Mercedes, Crystal, etc. Maybe at one point some rich person somewhere decided to name their child after a car but now all I can think of is someone whose trying to hard to be cool. Amber is probably a stripper along with her sisters all named after gem stones. Floyd makes me think of an over-weight older gentleman, probably a bit country. And Sandra is probably a middle aged woman.

To further prove my point that you prejudge someone based on their name. In college Bush was president and his two daughters are Barbara and Jenna. I'm sure they're both very nice girls. A friend and I were talking about it one day and he said something to the effect of if given a choice he would always take the blind date with a Jenna because a Barbara sounds like an unattractive librarian. According to him, Jenna sounded like a hot girl who likes to party. The thing is Jenna could be a plain Jane bookworm and Barbara a hot party animal but before they even walk into the door my friend had already decided who they would be.

So I do think that names mean something. I don't know if they shape your destiny. That if you're parents pick a weird name for you that you're destined to be a loser. But I do think people will judge you based on past experience or stereotypes. What do you think?

And if you're curious - here's a link to the top baby names of 2009. Congrats Jacob and Isabella you're parents love Twilight and there will probably be ten of your friends with the same name.

Do You Want Fries With That Shake?

I get a little fired up about people not taking responsibility for their actions. Hey, be a man (or a lady) and fess up to your actions. Case in point, CNN had a story today about has the fast food industry gone too far? Basically, so you don’t have to read it the story talks about all these really fattening foods that fast food places have come out with. KFC being the most recent offender with a bunless sandwich which is two slices of fried chicken, cheese and bacon. Needless to say the thing is loaded with calories and fat. But hello, did anyone think eating fast food was good for them? I didn’t think so. You know eating fast food is bad for you and we do it anyways and then when we’re fifty pounds overweight we’re whining about how it’s McDonald’s fault… Really? Did Ronald hold a gun to you head and make you eat those French Fries?

It’s not just fast food, our country takes a stance against anything that could be potentially harmful because they think we’re a country of brainless idiots who among other things don’t know that smoking could cause lung cancer (better make sure Big Tobacco can’t advertise that will stop people from smoking), that eating junk will lead to obesity (lets tax fast food restaurants – that will make people think), that drinking excessive amounts of alcohol leads to bad behavior (prohibition anyone?).

Now, don’t get me wrong… I’m all for programs that educate people about the dangers of all these things. Go for it, cram Truth commercials down my throat. Start programs to get people to start exercising. Post food pyramids. And I don’t think people should be eating a ton of empty calorie foods while smoking a pack of cigarettes, drinking a case of beer and driving without a seatbelt… (By the way don’t drink and drive)… BUT if people choose to eat French Fries everyday it’s not my problem that they’re four hundred pounds. And nothing makes me madder than the people who do all those things and then whine about how they’re obese, have lung cancer and liver problems. Really???? Who says the line - you can't fix stupid?

Maybe my problem is I’ve always been the type that can just walk away from food. Sure I crave a good burger sometimes or a glass of wine (no cigs here) but I know that everything is better in moderation. Self control people.

So CNN, in the answer to your question, has the fast food industry gone to far? Probably but is it our place to step in and shake our head at them and say “bad KFC for selling fat” – I don’t think so. Money speaks louder than a bunch of complainers on CNN’s wall jumping up and down about how bad the fast food industry is. KFC can make all the bunless fried chicken sandwiches they want that doesn’t mean you need to rush out there and buy five of them for lunch. If no one buys the junk the company’s won't keep making it. It's all about the dollar and if what they're selling doesn't sell then they'll rethink their business plan.

Maybe we should really be shaking our heads at the parents that think an okay meal is two pieces of fried chicken washed down with a soda. I don’t have kids but I know enough to know that it starts at home. My parents didn’t let us eat junk food, no sugary cereals, limited candy, no soda, limited fast food (like maybe once a month). And you know what? I don’t eat that stuff now. I can’t even tell you the last time I had ice cream in my freezer, I don’t crave sugar like a strung out druggie, I rarely drink soda. I still eat healthy and drink loads of milk like they said. Am I perfect? No. I love Ukrop’s fried chicken like no other. Pizza and take-out Chinese are on my phone's speed dial. But I know I can’t eat it that stuff every day or every week. My parents told me not to smoke or drink. They told me to eat veggies instead of chips. But they also led by example. They practiced what they preached and that’s the biggest lesson of all. Sure you can say kids don’t listen to their parents but I will say some of those lessons stick. And the others, sometimes you have to try things for yourself and figure out that maybe mom and dad were right.

Moderation is key people. I will jump up on my soap box and scream it over and over. You know what’s bad for you and what’s good for you. Make smart decisions. And own up when you make bad ones. It’s not anyone else’s job to moniter and protect you from all the baddies out there. Sometimes you have to put on your big girl panties and think for yourself.