John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #120

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names."

-Chinese Proverb

Weekend Assignment#120: Do a Web search on a pet's name and let us know some of the interesting things that pop-up. It doesn't necessarily have to be a current pet... if you've got a previous pet whose name will elicit more interesting Web results, by all means use that one instead.

-John Scalzi (By The Way...)

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always believed that my pet's came with their names. I have looked into the eyes of baby, chickens, ducks, cats, dogs, goldfish, parakeets, hamsters, bunnies, geese, squirrels, trout, guinea pigs, turtles, toads, grasshoppers, and even a road runner, and let them tell me their name. Ok, yes I know, animals can't talk, but somehow it was always like they told me their name, because before I knew it, a name would be in my head...and it ususally seemed right for the animal. Like when I looked into Elvis's eyes for the first time. Somehow I just knew his name was Elvis. His baby picture is below, now I ask you, could his name have been anything other then Elvis? LOL.

I Googled the name Elvis, and came up with the usual sites that feature "The King" Elvis Presley, but I also found sites for Elvis Costello, who just happens to be one of my favorite singers as well. :) I also checked for the name of Elvis's brother from the same litter, Jack Kerouac. He is the one featured in the above photo. He was a beautiful cat, so soft and so wee sometimes. We couldn't keep him, and I miss him at times so much, but I will never forget how loving he and Elvis were to each other. I think that is where Elvis learned to be such a humanitarian. Elvis took good care of his brother. :)

Elvis's name is Scandinavian in origin, and it means, "all wise." Yep, as it just so happens, he is the wisest soul I know. :)

Jack's name is Hebrew in origin, and it means, "the Lord is gracious." Jack was a very gentle soul, who was kind and shy. :)

I was very lucky to have been raised with a lot of different types of pets, and to learn to have a strong respect for them. I am pretty sure, that my pets came with their names, I could be wrong, but I really couldn't imagine having called either of my cats, Elvis Aaron P. Gordon or Jack Kerouac Gordon, any other name.

-OndineMonet
"Jack Kerouac"
"Elvis Aaron"
May, 1997