Why not Kardashian?

It's my MONIKER. 

 It was very popular in 1956, when my parents chose it because my aunt convinced them "Elisa" wouldn't work.

 She was suggesting too many nicknames that none of us liked. 

(Yes, I voted..in the womb..which is why I arrived two weeks early..kicking and screaming)

Yet..it's the Year of the Karen,  and a bunch of people who share my perfectly OK name were interviewed on TV last night.

And they were not happy Karens.

Ironically, the  person who supposedly  inspired this white privileged stereotype ,in 2014, was Kate(not Karen, KATE)  Gosselin.

My question is:  If they needed to pick a Special K name that would represent a bitchy, obnoxious, entitled woman..

Why not Kourtney? Kendall?  Khloe?

I, for one, would have been  oKAY with that:)

The birthday poodle

A very crazy little poodle was whelped eleven years ago on this date.

 An even crazier breeder wrote down all the info we needed:  Female: Cream colored: Toy: 

 He was neither a toy nor a female nor cream colored, our apricot mini male came into our home with worms and damaged knees and he didn't even make a sound.

The worms are long gone, the luxated knees are common to his breed and have given us little problems, but man oh man..

He is quiet like I am skinny.  He is gentle and sweet like I am pro-Trump.

There isn't a comforter, quilt, or blanket he hasn't destroyed, but in a year where so many friends have seen their beloved pets cross the Rainbow Bridge, I'm kind of glad he's part of our family.

My nutty, crazy, poodle....

When they see us

It's my favorite holiday! 

 I should still be on that Woodloch high, meaning we would have  returned last night exhausted and elated and counting down the 365 days 'til the return trip.

I'm still setting the clock, knowing that the  2021 vacation  will be magical and safer, but I'm also going to have some fireworks today, courtesy of Lin Manuel Miranda.

Then I'm going to enjoy some quality pool time with my gang and a BBQ that will satisfy the most ardent fan of this holiday.

 (Better find that fresh Jersey  corn early, Jim!)

Life gave me lemons and today, I'm gonna make lemonade. With sugar on the rim of the glass, like they do at lemonade stands on the boardwalk.

And I'll blast all that happy music that'll make me want to swim and dance--the kind that tanned and toned staff at Club Med would groove to around the pool, making moves for their "Sun Dance", steps  that I could never quite master.  

Bring on the "Hands Up!"  The "Blame it on the Boogie!"  The "Free From Desire!"

I plan to take a few moments to bless all those who have served our country, who make celebration possible, even in a pandemic.

I'll take a sobering few minutes to rehash with Jim our viewing experience yesterday, as we finally finished watching "When They See Us."

I could barely breathe when it ended and I couldn't see from all the sobbing.

I'm complaining about being imprisoned for a few months because of a virus that affected the entire world, these youths were imprisoned for YEARS over a crime they did not commit.

The injustice is gut-wrenching.

Our president's role in the injustice is unforgivable.

But today is about family, fun, fireworks.

Disco and dancing.

Swimming and sun.

And corn.

  For the love of all things good, let there be corn

Happy 4th!

The year of Karen

Remember in   that underrated but simply wonderful show, "The Middle", when Eden Sher's character decided her senior year would be the "Year of Sue?" 

 Eden touchingly portrayed a woefully optimistic goofball who always managed to pick herself up, dust herself off, and start all over again. 

 Her senior year was filled with clubs and college applications and and summer plans and anticipating things like prom and graduation. 

 It was indeed  the Year of Sue.

So now social media hijacks my common, pedestrian name , a perfectly pleasant derivative of Katherine, and suddenly 2020 is "The Year of Karen."

So why am I not sharing the enthusiasm of Sue Heck in this, the "Year of Karen?"

My name will forever  be associated with a pandemic and a horrendous stereotyped white  woman of privilege.

My Mom chose "Karen" because she felt I looked like a "little Dutch girl."

WTF???

Also, she was a thousand percent convinced I was going to be a boy whom she wanted to call Eric. 

 (Karen, spelled backwards, rhymes with this name)

She needed a middle name that started with the letter "R" and chose Randi, which as I kid I hated 'cause it's a "boy's name", 'though I like it just fine now.

But the masculine spelling of the name "Randy"  means something VERY specific, so I, Karen Randi, am both "pure"--the meaning of "Katherine"--and "horny."

Pure and horny in the year of Karen.

Thanks, Mom...