2003-08-08

* * * So, for the last few years – it’ll be 4 in October! – I’ve referred to my daughter as the spud. I’m not sure why I gave her a pseudonym to begin with, just the idea of creepy people out there knowing her name, I guess, and it’s pretty much stuck. Except that Fred wrote this book, see, and he had the nerve to use her actual name instead of referring to her as “The Spud”, and so I guess it’s time to out her. Some of you already know her name, but most of you do not. So here we go. Here’s her first name. Danielle. Yes, her first name is Danielle, but her last name isn’t And3rson, so good luck, you stalkers. Don’t be surprised if I keep referring to her as “The Spud”, though. That might be a difficult habit to break. So, Danielle. Danielle, Danielle, Danielle. It feels odd to type her name in this box without freaking out and saying “Oops, wrong name!”, although I haven’t done that in a long time. When she was very little, we called her Dani. When she was in first grade, she decided that that was a boy’s name, and I’d damn well better stop calling her Dani and start calling her Danielle. Which I did, because I am nothing if not an obedient mother. Her father still calls her Dani – or rather “Daaaaaani” – and in the past few years she’s rediscovered a fondness for the nickname. It’s too late for me, though. I’ve called her by her full name for too long, and I don’t think I can revert to Dani, so I’ll be one of those parents who always call their kids by their full name. Fred says that when I call her for dinner, I yell “DanYELL!” Heh. So now you know… the rest of the story!

* * *
So, I answered some questions, via email, that a New York Times reporter (who is doing a story on diet blogs) asked, and I provided my phone number in case she had any follow up questions, and now every time the phone rings, I jump and get freaked out. Because I HATE TALKING ON THE PHONE. I have a phone phobia, I think, and it amazes me to think that I had a job (taking orders at LL Bean) wherein I did nothing BUT talk on the phone. Come to think of it, maybe that’s why I hate it so much!
* * *
1. What’s the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country? Maine! Before that, I was in Gatlinburg, TN. 2. What’s the most bizarre/unusual thing that’s ever happened to you while traveling? Nothing bizarre or unusual has really happened to me while traveling, unless you count the fact that anytime I went near an airport last year, someone was holding me down and wanding me, due to the fact that I look all threatening and terrorist-like. 3. If you could take off to anywhere, money and time being no object, where would you go? Hawaii or Australia, both of which I’d LOVE to visit. 4. Do you prefer traveling by plane, train or car? I prefer the comfort of the car, but the speed of the plane. If I could have a private plane, I probably wouldn’t hate flying so much. 5. What’s the next place on your list to visit? We’re going to Vicksburg, Mississippi next weekend. Fred has to work and doesn’t want to go alone, so the spud will be missing school Friday, and we’ll be back on Sunday. I’ve never been to Vicksburg, and I suspect it won’t be all that exciting. Fred’s going to hit the casinos once or twice, but casinos bore the bejesus out of me. Perhaps I’ll get some reading in – I read 9 books while I was in Maine, y’know.
* * *
My brother Randy’s dog, Cola. She’s a sweetie. ]]>

36 thoughts on “2003-08-08”

  1. I must confess… I learned the spud’s name years ago. I am a huge snoop and viewed the properties on a photo you posted of her once. It was danielle.gif . I felt so smart. bwahahaha!

  2. Dammit! I was all proud of the fact that I was “in the know” and knew her name when a lot of people didn’t and then you have to go and blow it for me.
    How in the hell am I going to walk around feeling self-important now? Hee!

  3. Robyn, I live fairly close to Vickspatch, I mean Vicksburg. It’s a pretty small, sleepy town. Not that you asked, but there’s a few cool things there:
    – The Attic Gallery, http://www.homestead.com/atticgallery/atticgalleryhome.html, an eccentric place with loads, I mean LOADS, of art. It really is like an attic. My husband has a few pieces there.
    – The Military Park, http://www.nps.gov/vick/. If it wasn’t hot as blue blazes, it’d be a great place to explore. Best viewed now from an air-conditioned car right now.
    – Daquiri World, just across the state line in Delta, Louisiana. A large-ish shack literally in the middle of nowhere where you can actually purchase your daquiri at a classy drive-up window. I used to go there in college b/c in LA, you can purchase liquor from a bar if you’re 18. Don’t tell my mom, OK?
    Oh, and keep in mind that Jackson’s 45 minutes away and New Orleans is a three hour drive. 🙂

  4. Chrystal – you evil snoop! (Heh)
    Nance – we’ll think of something that makes you more “in the know” than everyone else!
    Lucy – Thanks for the suggestions! I may have to check out Dacquiri World at the very least! 🙂
    Noreen – All Heathers are legally required to start their own journals when they grow up, y’know! 😉

  5. I remember when Robyn posted pics of a previous Gatlinburg trip, the spud was wearing an airbrushed tshirt with her name on it. Robyn commented that she was aware the spud’s name was showing. Good Bitchypoo readers remember things like that. Hee!

  6. Danielle! So thats the spud’s name. I must confess that when you talk about her by her real name I will be thinking “who the heck is she talking about?” Its a pretty name for a pretty girl! 🙂

  7. Heh – maybe I could ease y’all into it, by calling her “Spudielle” for a little while. 🙂
    Jen & Bonnie – that was from our very first trip to Gatlinburg, and a looooong time ago. Good memories!

  8. Robyn,
    I would be interested in reading your Amazing Race commentary…..are you going to post it?
    Thanks

  9. Oh!! Excitement! I always wanted to know her name, secretly praying it wasn’t something trendy (Kayla? Jessica? Taylor?) or ugly (Blanche? Helga?) Danielle is nice. Not overused, not so uncommon you say huh? (Esme anyone?)
    I sigh in relief knowing her name is a pretty one 🙂
    Also, there’s more than rabies to worry about. Cat Scratch Fever ain’t just a song! Be careful, I’d hate for anything to harm you Robyn, I just adore all your posts…and kitties too!!

  10. Nicole – the thing I deleted was just a sentence that said “Them poor fuckin’ (descriptive words here).” NOT who I wanted to go, but ain’t it always the way?

  11. Oh, and Mira – up until about a week before she was born, she was going to be Jessica. But I heard the name “Danielle” and liked it so much I changed my mind, and I can’t even imagine calling her Jessica, because she’s very clearly a Danielle.
    As soon as I had her, it seemed like everyone was naming their baby girls Danielle! I worked with a woman whose daughter had a baby and named her Danielle, Lisa Marie Presley had a Danielle, and someone else famous did as well. I thought there was going to be an onslaught, but after the initial rush of Danielles, it seemed to pretty much die off.
    Which is WAY more than you wanted to know, right? 🙂

  12. P.S. I would like to see that pic from Gatlinburg of Danielle that everyone is talking about (w/airbrushed shirt)

  13. How sad is it that I’m so thrilled to know The Spud’s real name? And I don’t have anybody to call and blab it to, either. Dang.
    As others have commented, it is indeed a pretty name.

  14. I meant the photo of the stray kitty…you’re pretty known for taking pics right at the moment it happens, you know. A pic of that kitty biting at your foot would be nice, haha!

  15. Honestly, I would have never guessed Danielle. But you’re right, it is a nice 2 syllable name to shout if you’re mad.

  16. heehee! I’m a good Bitchypoo reader! I remember that shirt! :-D.
    I feel like it’s odd to think of her as Danielle though. I’m so used to you referring to her as the spud.

  17. Be absolutely vigilant with that cat bite / scratch. Those things can become enormously infected in twenty-four hours. Trust me … I learned the hard way!

  18. Patty – hee! I wish I’d had the camera, then at least I’d know whether I was bitten or just scratched. She was a cute little thing, too. 🙂
    Nicole – I’ll have to see if I can find the picture with the shirt. I’ll post it Monday if I can find it.
    Lori – I will definitely keep an eye on it. So far it seems to be okay!

  19. Robyn – Danielle………what a pretty name. I almost feel like we have violated you by finding out her name, as we have always know her as the “spud” and it being one of the few private things that you don’t let your loyal readers know. She’ll always be the “spud” to us!!!

  20. I have known her name for awhile, saw it in an old entry. Honestly since you’ve always called her the spud, when I see a picture I always think that The spud fits her better, I think that’s funny! It’s a pretty name but it just doesn’t fit right after hearing her called spud for two years.

  21. Yep, I knew, I think I saw the shirt and one day you had let it sneak into a entry. There goes me being all smug…….As for me I am just a Robbie, my dad would not let my mom name me Robin, and that is have it would hve been spelled. Robyn Lynn, looks a little, well porno-ish,huh?

  22. I was watching an Emergency Vets rerun today (because I am nothing if not an Animal Planet junkie), and they mentioned that cats have something like 100 strains of bacteria in their mouths. Yikes.
    And as far as nicknames go, I’m “Becky” to most people, but lately I’ve been feeling that Rebecca suits me better. Funny how those things go.

  23. mmmmm….I had it as Jennifer. Don’t know why.
    I was going to name my second child Danielle Josephine. His name is Daniel Joseph. No pink socks at my house.

  24. come to australia … come to australia
    we have crayfish (lobster), cats (cats), sun, surf and wonderful people (cat lovers)

  25. I’m glad you skipped the Jessica! Its nice to know her real name, but she’ll always be “the spud” 🙂

  26. oh wow! i never ever thought i’d find out her name – i was going to email you once and ask, out of curiosity, but i thought you’d tell me to ‘gfy’ heh 😉
    danielle is a great name! i think it suits her too, from the photos i’ve seen.
    has she seen ‘ever after’? that’s my all-time favourite movie, and the main character’s (drew barrymore) name is danielle. i’ve always liked that name.
    😀

  27. Heh – I probably would have told anyone who out-and-out asked in a non-stalkery way what her name was. 🙂
    We’ve seen “Ever After” and loooooooove it!

  28. I’m sorry, Robyn, but you can’t refer to The Spud by her real name. You’ll confuse the hell out of me and I’ll wonder, repeatedly, just who the hell this Danielle person is you keep talking about. Please don’t do that to me. Please. I’ll cry and yell and…oh hell, ok FINE I won’t do any of that, but seriously, you guys, don’t fuck with my poor brain. I’m lucky I can remember ANYTHING with all the drugs I’ve done…

  29. Worry not, Blazing Hussy – the habit of referring to her as “The Spud” is so ingrained that I doubt I’ll change it at this late date! 🙂

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