I say YES. YOU say NO....Numero Tre! Enjoy!

I had an acquaintance in high school & college (she was the first-soprano soloist in both our chorales) named Caryn, but she pronounced it "Corinne." Bob's only cousin is named Karen (and she is definitely not "a Karen"). I feel more deeply than most for women named Karen: my name got trashed after the Nov. 2012 "Superstorm." Worse yet, my sister's name is Rona. (And remember Katrina & the Waves? They suddenly fell off playlists in Sept. 2005). At least I don't know anyone named Isaias (heck, until last week I had never heard the name, much less hear reporters attempt to pronounce it).

I truly dislike labeling the name “Karen” to middle aged women going off on rants. Why must we use a personal woman’s name to define this type behaviour? My daughter in law is a Caryn who is someone everyone likes, not because she’s super sweetly nice but because she is confident, interesting, smart and fair and not at all like the ones highlighted in the media. I also think the media is focusing too much attention to these type stories.

And then there’s my own being astounded that some women feel so entitled and self-righteous that they lay into another person in public spewing all manner of atrocities from their mouth.

Maybe being raised Catholic and having the “God sees everything you do” drilled in my head, whenever I go out, I’m aware that someone else might be observing me. With cell phone video so readily available, we are all Big Brother, and anyone’s deeds or misdeeds have the potential to be recorded.

DivineMrsM: I had a student named Camille within the past 3 years (in her 20's) and she was one of the kindest students I have ever met. Not a popular name. Names today can be unique given that I have had names I have had to ask the student to pronounce for fear I would slaughter them. Sometimes it took practice to get the right inflections.

I have a SIL named Karen who is the complete antithesis of the "Karen's" being broadcast. I would be hard pressed to imagine her behaving in that manner even if she was hopping mad. She is completely besotted with Bruce Springsteen so the family joke has always been that if he was available my poor DB would be left in the dust. So that is the only character flaw I've noted and I am not sure it really qualifies as a flaw. I cringe when I hear someone being called a "Karen" because it is not reflective of all who are such named. Was this derived from the character on Will and Grace? Now the SIL who could qualify as a "Karen" is not named so and I will not reveal her name because she is the aberration, not the name. She is the family shrew.

My other SIL is also named Sandy and got teased unmercifully when the hurricane was named such, mostly by my DB her husband. She is not destructive and with a few drinks under her belt becomes the life of family parties due to her filter disappearing. She is sometimes clueless (not meanly) and does things that we find vastly entertaining like accidentally mailing her underpants (clean) to her DIL's parents in Europe in a package she sent them. They asked her why she mailed them because they are able to buy underwear where they live. She was so embarrassed but had no clue as to how they got in the package. She once burnt Italian sausage and felt that covering them with tomato sauce would hide the evidence. My DB said they tasted like charcoal briquets covered with tomato sauce.

Isaias is one I am glad I did not have to learn to pronounce. But it is surprising what you can learn to pronounce, with practice, with the exposure to original names (from many cultures) as I had over the years in teaching and clinical practice. You can almost guess the decade by the name as well. I've had Cindy's (in their 40's), Barbara's (in their 50's), Caren (30's), etc. Interesting topic.

My DH is named Steve, my brother-in-law is named Steve, and I have a cousins named Steve on both sides of my family. If there's a family gathering & you yell "Steve", you are bound to get someone to come help you with whatever you need.

My husband's name is Bob, and we have a plethora of Bob friends. We have had our share of "hey, Bob" moments!

Balance is the key to my serenity. I attain balance by listening to my inner wisdom and to the wisdom of others. There is no situation in which I cannot find a point of balance. There is no circumstance in which I cannot find inner harmony. As I ask to be led into equilibrium and clarity, I will find that my answers come to me. I am wiser than I know, more capable of right action and attitudes than I yet believe. In every event, I seek the balance point of God's action through me. -Julia Cameron

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He knows the best people?

My favorite teacher to sub for (7th grade American History), is retiring. He had planned to teach one more year; but with all this crap, threw in the towel. I did a long-term gig for him a couple years ago when he had some medical issues, and have been his 'go to' sub ever since. I would seriously teach that class for free (in a normal year). Very sad!