What's in a Name? (Hey, are you saying that if I were named something else, I'd smell bad?)

Vacation has left me increasingly unmoored. After about 10 days out of the normal routines, and despite my attempts to get up at the same time and do chores, life has grown increasingly, well, sudoku- and podcast-filled. My increased lack of gung-ho-ness makes this a weird time to try to make sense of my blog. Heck, it makes it even hard to write my *#$% blog. Nevertheless, after committing to myself to try to write something every day, I will endeavor to sally forth into the blogosphere once again...

Today's entry: What's in a name? Why XieXie?

These days, all the kids seem to have cool online names -- full of cultural references, proofreaders' marks, a lengthy string of meaningless numbers, and heaven only know what all else. Wanting to fit in with the chic, I decided that I too, should have a suave moniker that shows that I've been around the Net awhile. So, I thought about it. And thought about it some more. And finally realized I wasn't getting anywhere.

While it sounds sorta sultry, the name XieXie is simply the anglicized spelling of one of the only Mandarin words I know -- "Thank You!" After rollling it around and not having learned anything I liked better, it grew on me, as it seems fitting to take on an expression of gratitude in this big old world.

Now, the obvious next question is, why Mandarin? I'm a big fan of the sci-fi/western/all-around fabulous TV show "Firefly." Canceled after 13 episodes, "Firefly" imagined a world several hundred years in the future following the possible alliance of the USA and China. This well-intentioned empire basically smacked down on everybody with any dissenting thought in his or her head. Even on the little frontier planets where everybody looks like Marshal Dillon, Ma Kettle, or a nouveau-trampy Miss Kitty, people casually spoke a pidgin that melded English and Chinese -- often at a points where the censors would not like what the character would have said in English.

I was hooked! I realized that here was the logical opportunity to swear magnificently! Want to say that your adversary/boss/ex-boyfriend looks like baked poo and smells like a horny ocelot dipped in the vomit of a three-day-dead dingo? Mumble it off in a language no one near you knows (while praying that this isn't a day when your Chinese account rep is visiting!), and everyone politely averts their eyes and goes on about their business... though perhaps contemplating that you may have a slight mental disorder if your delivery is not sufficiently confident to overcome that "I'm mumbling secretively to myself" tone. My recent project has become to learn at least a little Mandarin. Because everything sounds better when it's from somewhere else. Plus, for those of you whose native language is one of the many Chinese languages, learning the language has taught me a much greater appreciation for your culture and customs.

I still can't swear like a Shanghai sailor -- but I'm sure giving it the ol' college try.