The Name Game

I found this story on Best Friends Animal Society's approach to animal naming--"BeBop von Pookiehead"--rather timely given the number of conversations I've had lately regarding pet-naming.

One has to wonder how some animals ever survive multiple homes, rescues, shelters, etc. with their sanity in tact, given that most humans tend to name and rename their animals with wild abandon. When my husband and I first got our cat, he was given the name "Drake" by one of our theatrically-inclined friends. After toying with a handful of different options, we finally settled on the ever-so-clever "Kitty" thanks to some inspiration from a South Park episode.

Similarly, when we adopted our first rescue puppy, his foster mom had given him the name "Richie" which we both agreed should be banned as a name for the four- and two-legged alike for all eternity. Huge fans of the Dave Chappelle Show at the time, we settled on the name Charlie Murphy, inspired by the show's series of True Hollywood stories episodes. (Yes, we do watch a lot of tv.) Of course, shortly there after, Charlie assumed yet another name, Coco, inspired by his sweet gorilla eyes. He now responds to either name, while his brother, Hudson, also understands his name to be Hudson, Hudson Budson, Budson Bear or The Buds.

Of course, I think the naming process involved when shelters and rescue groups get new animals is far more interesting, given that they have to routinely come up with multiple names, and need to avoid too many repeats. A friend of mine is currently navigating the adoption process for a puppy mill rescue dog named Nacho. Apparently he is part of a small clan dubbed the "Taco Bell dogs" that includes his comrades, Chalupa and Gordita.

The little bully pups rescued in Detroit by the Buster Foundation were named using a variety of methods, most notably, the imagination of small children. "Brawny" got his name based on the number of paper towels used to clean up after him. "Artie" was named by Buster's founder, inspired by his rescue from his house on Artesia Blvd. Then there are Snickers, Trinket, Baxter, Jasper, and Neveah . . . that last one is "heaven" spelled backwards!

However, my all time favorite pet name would be the neighborhood cat that my brother and his roommates adopted in college. Clearly some learned gentlemen looking to give their new feline friend a touch of class, they named him . . . Grumpus von Fluffybottom. Luckily I don't think they ever tried to fit all that on a name tag.

Rescued: Detroit Pittie Pups

This past week, the Buster Foundation in Belleville, Michigan rescued a litter of pit bull puppies abandoned in an empty house in Detroit after the their mother was hit by a car.

I had the pleasure of meeting the little booboos today. My hat goes off to Joanie Wazney, Buster's founder, and the amazing group of people who have been literally working around the clock to nurse them back to health.


The "Bareman's" milk container in the picture above is full of warm water and serving as a surrogate mother right now. :)

Red Tape Cut for First of the Vicktory Dogs

The six-month waiting period is up for the first of the Vicktory Dogs at Best Friends Sanctuary to be officially adopted. Awesome.

Read the full story about Halle and her new family on the BF website: "It's official!"

Photo credits: Copied from Best Friends Animal Society website, taken by Traci

Roadhouse Obsession

We've eaten at Zingerman's Roadhouse three times in the past 10 days.

If that's wrong, then I don't want to be right. If I ever have children, I'll probably name them Pimento Cheese and Roadhouse Burger.

Ann Arbor Color

Ironically, I would think that people with mohawks and people who spray paint street signs would run in similar circles. Hmm, guess I should lay off the gross generalizations.

Treats in Treetown and Tigers in Motown

Tomorrow will mark two weeks since our return to Ann Arbor, and so far I think we've met our prerequisites for reassuming our Michigan identities: we've been to Zingerman's and we've been to a Tigers game!



Zingerman's provided Zzang bars and the Tigers provided a near shutout of the Indians, complete with multiple home runs. I'd say the fruits of July have been quite bountiful thus far.














And this week? . . . . . Art Fair!

Academic Irony

Gotta love this Freudian slip by the American Educational Research Association in its quick response to some goofy grad students trying to bum some free software off their listserv buddies:

Hello graduate student community,

It has come to my attention that in the past few days there has been inappropriate discussions taking place on the graduate student listserv. Let me first state that in no way does AERA condom such activity and effective immediately all such activity and communication should cease.

Pretty unscholarly of them (both the slip and the lack of spellcheck), but at least they're CONDONING safe sex.

Village Idiot in Treetown

Very little can put a damper on a sunny summer afternoon and leisurely lunch on Main Street in Ann Arbor. Cool breezes blowing. Cloud-dotted blue skies. Happy people with calm, respectful children and well-behaved pets. Prompt, smiling servers coming and going with trays full of fresh-brewed iced tea and club sandwiches. Lingering smells of barbecue and jasmine in the air . . . . and my fully ambulatory brother-in-law rolling down the sidewalk in a wheelchair soliciting tips for his efforts to antagonize the whopping 1 or 2 peaceful panhandlers wandering around town.


I'm probably the only person in Ann Arbor who keeps my doors locked during the day.
This is why.

Sometimes I'm sure I must be living in some sort of bizarro Seinfeld episode.

Return to Ann Arbor: Farmer's Market Bounty

A quick visit to the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market has made me feel like we never left! All is right with the world when you're eating fruit-battered donuts and fresh baked bread with homemade jam.